And Deliver Us
by Salemsoriginal99
Summary: The greatest moment of one's life is decided when that person agrees that life is worth more than the sum of all of their experiences.
1. Curiosity

_The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity._ **–Ellen Parr**

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* * *

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To say that the war against Voldemort was over was a gross underestimation.

No… the war was just in a lull, but far from over. London was becoming a quiet city where only Muggles could be seen wandering the street after dark and the Ministry was a place of fear and constant surveillance. Many who worked there came to work in groups rather than alone and the Atrium was no longer a place of gathering, but a place of security check points.

The newspapers were littered with talk of ministerial raids and corrupt ministry officials doing the work of the Dark Lord. It was becoming a normal occurrence to find your neighbor's husband or wife being dragged out of their house by two large, intimidating figures and transported to a secret place within the Ministry that only those further up the chain knew about. Photographs of fugitives and person's of interest filled the pages and made many a witch and wizard cautious of their fellow brethren.

Hogwarts was rumored to be shut down if threats continued to pour in from Death Eaters of all sorts, but Albus Dumbledore assured the parents and prospective parents that there was nothing to be worried about. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was a safe haven and would be welcoming students in the fall. While most parents found this news comforting, it was being publicized that there was a unanimous concern about the students of Slytherin and their relations to known Death Eaters.

Most notably was Draco Malfoy, whose father's whereabouts were still unknown. Narcissa publically declared that she and her son were not Death Eaters and that anyone who thought so was not worth the parchment they wrote on. While many did not believe a word the woman said, surprisingly Dumbledore released a statement saying that children should not be punished for the sins of their fathers and mothers, not mentioning in any way Narcissa's statement.

To add to the overwhelming fear that was beginning to spread rampant through the wizarding community in England, people were still disappearing every week and security around the Boy-Who-Lived was growing, as was the paranoia that surrounded him. He was mentioned constantly in the papers and while no one had seen much of him after he had left Hogwarts, everyone knew exactly where he was staying, adding an alarming amount of panic and tension within the Weasley family, many of whom began safeguarding their own homes in case of an attack.

The Ministry was also doing its part in protecting what they knew was Voldemort's primary target. Moody would send several Aurors over to the Burrow constantly to watch after him and Dumbledore made frequent visits under the guise of business between himself and Arthur Weasley. Despite several vocal, as well as angered, protests against it, Harry was moved out of the Burrow after spending only three weeks there during the summer after his sixth year. Ron and Hermione were forced to stay at the Burrow for a while longer before they were allowed to accompany their friend.

Ginny Weasley spent most of her time either helping her mother around the house or writing letters to Hermione, who was her only link to what was happening within the old Black House that Harry had been sequestered to. Occasionally she would receive a letter from her brother or Harry, but for the most part Hermione kept her updated. Not that what Ginny learned was much. The letters were censured greatly by Tonks, who was the one who delivered the messages, making it even harder for Ginny to sit around the house and accept her uselessness at that point in time.

_Prongs appreciated your last letter. He has been busy completing some business with Moony, so he has been unable to reply, but he wanted me to tell you that he misses you and he hopes your summer is much more interesting than his. Jack Russel misses you to, but of course he's too much of a git to admit it. _

_Anyway, I hope everything is going well with you. Answer soon! It's quite dull without a female presence and Mrs. Moony doesn't stay around long enough for us to have a conversation._

_Tell everyone I said hello!_

_Your friend, the Otter._

Ginny sighed and placed the letter in a small box. She waved her wand over the box and it glowed quickly before she shoved it under her bed and sighed again.

That letter had come four days ago via Tonks and had not been very long, irritating Ginny. She knew she had to be patient. Hermione was only allowed one letter every five days and Ginny had sent a reply three days ago. Now she would have to wait patiently for a reply and that was becoming arduous.

She had long ago resigned herself to being the odd man out after she and Harry had called it quits. He had, in a very discreet way, told her that he would try to keep her in the loop, and he had kept his word until, of course, he had been transferred to the Black House. Now he was unable to tell her anything and she was starving for the tiniest bit of information to know that her friends and brother were okay.

"Ginny!"

"Yes Mum?!"

"Your brothers are here!"

Any other day, Ginny would have been elated to hear that news, but at the moment she was not in the mood to deal with the twins, who had been thriving despite the constant threat of attack to their store. Lee Jordon, old school friend, was no doubt with them accompanied by their girlfriends, Alicia, Angelina and Katie. Those three, Ginny could deal with.

Getting up off her bed, she walked out of her bedroom and down the stairs, followed closely by Everest, a Siamese cat her brother Charlie had found while in Romania. The cat had instantly latched itself to Ginny and followed her almost everywhere that it could, which Ginny did not mind. It was nice to have something around that she could just hold.

"Hello dear sister," Fred greeted the moment she entered the kitchen. George caught sight of her and snorted.

"Did you just wake up?" he asked curiously and she rolled her eyes, pulling her hair up into a ponytail.

"It's ten in the morning on a holiday," she pointed out, sitting down at the table with the girls. "I have a right to wear shorts and a tank top if I choose."

Lee snorted and motioned to her.

"Cabin fever getting to you, dear?"

Katie shook her head.

"Leave her alone, you three," she scolded. "I wish I was in bed right now too." She noticed Mrs. Weasley give her a look from her spot by the stove and paled a little. "Not that I don't want to be here, Molly. I just… wish…" She trailed off and shot Lee a look while Fred and George grinned.

"Got the fiancé in trouble already, Jordon?" they asked simultaneously and Ginny grinned.

"Speaking of fiancés, when are you two going to pop the question?" she asked innocently, batting her eyes at her brothers while they became incredibly pale as Angelina and Alicia turned to them expectantly. The twins began backing out of the kitchen, fear written all over their face.

"Not fair," George muttered.

"To put us in a corner like that," Fred added.

"Could she be so cruel?"

Fred noticed Angelina stand up.

"I think it's a good time to leave, brother," he pointed out and George nodded.

"Agreed."

The twins disappeared up the stairs and Lee burst out laughing while Angelina and Alicia exchanged amused glances. Ginny just grinned and turned to the girls.

"So, how is life out in the real world?" she asked. "I've been stuck in here for a week."

Alicia shook her head.

"Diagon Alley is quieter than normal, but the boys are doing great," she answered. "I think most of the dangerous things are happening closer to the Ministry."

Angelina nodded in agreement.

"My parents haven't even heard of anything for a couple of weeks."

Ginny glanced over at her mother to see if she was listening before she leaned forward.

"Anything about Harry? Mum and Dad won't allow the Daily Prophet in the house so I don't hear a lot of information."

Katie shrugged.

"Not much lately. I think Lee saw him at the Ministry a couple of days ago, but they didn't speak. He said that Harry was surrounded by at least ten Aurors."

Ginny bit her lip at the amount of security around the boy, but did not say anything else. Angelina started another conversation with Mrs. Weasley and Ginny tuned them out quickly, looking out the window.

God, she wished she knew what was going on.

* * *

"You don't honestly expect me to wear that, do you?" Draco asked incredulously, glaring down the retailer who had just offered him a rather ostentatious suit that did not appeal to Draco in the least. The man hesitated and Narcissa pointed to the area where the man had retrieved the suit.

"Get another one," she ordered and he hurried off, shaking a little as he went. Draco rolled his eyes at the man's stupidity and fearfulness, turning to face the full-length mirror.

"This is ridiculous," he muttered. "I asked for a black suit and he brings me that monstrosity."

Narcissa snorted.

"Draco, darling, not everyone is accustomed to your taste," she pointed out. "You need to be patient."

Draco ignored his mother and waited for the retailer to return with a better selection. He pointed to one without even looking at it and quickly changed into it, admiring himself in the mirror.

"Why are you here?" he asked after a moment, glancing at his mother through the mirror. "Don't you have other business to attend to?"

Narcissa stood up, giving off the essence of a queen without actually being of that royalty. She approached him with calculated steps, stopping right in front of the platform he was standing on and looking over his suit.

"Am I not allowed to enjoy the company of my only son?" she asked silkily and he cringed on the inside. Her voice always carried an air of violence around it, just like her sister, Bellatrix, only she was better at hiding it. His aunt seemed incapable of concealing her enthusiasm for things of the macabre nature. Not that it bothered Draco at this point. He was quite used to watching his parents' torture innocent beings within the confines of Malfoy Manor. He himself, however, had no intention of following in his father's rather ambitious mission to serve the Dark Lord. He had every intention of living to see the war end. He did not care how.

"I was just curious, mother," he replied. "I have many appointments this evening."

"With who?"

Draco glanced over at the retailer, who was now busy with two other shoppers in the store. While they appeared to be browsing, he was not blind to the fact that one of them happened to be an Auror. The man had been following them around since they left the Manor and had finally worked up the courage to walk into the store and pretend to be uninterested.

"Just some schoolmates of mine," he responded and Narcissa followed his gaze to the Auror. Her eyes darkened instantly and she called over the retailer.

"We wish to purchase that one," she said. She grabbed the man's arm before he could run off, frightening the poor clerk. "And you had best watch what you say to that Auror. I do not take lightly to being spied upon," she hissed and the man nodded, hurrying off to ring them up. Draco shed the suit and put on his jeans and shirt.

"I suppose I shall have to see you later," he muttered and she nodded.

"Dinner Draco," she said curtly, walking over to the cashier. "Be on time."

Draco walked out the door, uninterested in her little threat.

"I always am."

Upon leaving the clothing store, Draco made his way down Nocturn Alley towards Diagon Ally, glancing into store windows and ignoring the fearful glances cast his way by passersby. He did not care what they thought about him. Dumbledore had given them all a clear advisement to not worry about his affiliations with his father, but he knew most of them believed he was a Death Eater.

His hand unconsciously went to his left arm and his fingers circled over his wrist quickly.

_What an absurd idea_, he thought bitterly. _Why the hell would I tarnish my skin with that foul little sign? If I wanted the Dark Lord to know where I was, I'd paint a scar on my bloody forehead._

His entire being darkened at the thought of Harry Potter.

The boy was a menace in general and a health hazard in most cases. Potter was the main reason Draco was followed constantly by Aurors. Several news articles had been published that the Dark Lord would use certain students with in Slytherin, particularly Draco Malfoy, as a vehicle to destroy Harry Potter.

_Another absurd idea_, he thought with a grin. _A pleasant thought, but absurd nonetheless._

While his dreams were lately plagued with thoughts of Potter coming to a very gruesome and hilarious ending, in real life, Draco had no intention of finishing off the Boy-Who-Lived. There was no incentive.

Sure, he was an annoying, self-sacrificing prick who had helped win the House Cup on occasions and placed Draco's life in danger on several others, but so was Weasley, and he hated the redheaded baboon more that Potter. Mostly because those damned Weasleys were always getting into everyone's business. The patriarch of the overpopulating clan of redheaded purebloods had been to the Malfoy Manor countless times to conduct raids, always to come back to the Ministry empty handed. Sure they never found anything, but Draco could have used the time for more productive things such as shagging Parkinson, rather than dealing with Potter's friend rummaging through his room with that damned smile on his face.

The lot of them could burn in hell for all he cared. Them and that little Mudblood bird that kept Potter and Weasley in check. They could all just go to hell.

Feeling a little better now about his situation, Draco continued walking down the street and ignored the three Aurors, who were now trailing after him. Instead, he focused on his meeting with Crabbe and Goyle. They had some information for him about a couple of projects his father was reportedly working on and he was eager to hear the news.


	2. Taking a Mile

_Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises._ **-Demosthenes**

* * *

There were certain things that Draco Malfoy detested. Harry Potter, the Weasleys, his father, Gryffindors and latecomers. It was a week since his meeting with Crabbe and Goyle and now he was sitting in a small café in Diagon Alley, waiting for a man the two boys had told him about. They had said he would be there at one thirty. It was now one thirty-nine and Draco's patience was already waning. Despite school being out, he had numerous plans for the rest of the day and was not appreciating the idea of waiting around for a so far nonexistent man.

Glancing down at his watch, his disposition soured when the hand moved to one forty.

Ten minutes late.

Not a very good first impression.

Then again, he probably should have been a little bit more suspicious when both boys refused to give him any more information than the mere fact that this man wanted to meet with him. To what purpose, Draco had no idea, which was not something he did often, but when Goyle had told him that it had something to do with his father, his curiosity was piqued.

Now, he was just miffed.

Twelve minutes.

Perhaps he should get up and leave. The Aurors outside looked ready to come inside and he had no interest in watching them pretend to read a menu while keep tabs on him. Like he said before, he had other things to do.

The café door opened and a dark young man entered and sat down near the window, not making eye contact with Draco in the slightest. He ordered something from the waitress and then commenced to read the Daily Prophet. Draco watched the young man for a moment before he returned to the cold tea in front of him.

Fifteen minutes.

Blaise Zabini, unlike Crabbe and Goyle, was a wild card that Draco was not too comfortable with at the moment. He did not follow orders unquestioningly and he was not as present in Draco's affairs as the other two. While he no longer displayed the enthusiasm to control Slytherin as he had in earlier days, Draco was not convinced that the man had completely relinquished his eye on a more powerful position within Slytherin. A position currently held by Cole Warrington, a more narcissistic personality that Draco also had an issue with, but at the moment had no interest in dethroning. He was serving his purpose so far. No need to rock the boat while pitting him against Zabini's more passive aggressive nature.

He would have to talk to Crabbe and Goyle about how wisely they distribute information from now on. Zabini was an excellent wizard but Draco did not need him as back up.

Another concern Draco harbored about the dark skinned fellow. His intelligence as a question of concern for the Malfoy since the young man rarely spoke around Draco, and the blonde was beginning to seriously doubt Zabini's mental state. He already had Parkinson and Warrington. He did not need another unstable, ambitious Slytherin within his ranks.

"Mr. Malfoy."

Draco looked up to see a short, balding man shuffle over, clutching a briefcase in one hand and carrying one of the iciest looks he had ever seen.

Seventeen minutes.

"Mr. Thomas," Draco replied and the man sat down quickly. "You're late."

"I was held back at the Ministry for a while, sorry," the man apologized and Draco's eyes narrowed.

"Don't waste my time with apologies, Thomas," he snapped. "What is it that I'm here for?"

The man hesitated before pulling out his briefcase and pulling out a file. He offered it to Draco.

"This file contains Death Eaters campsites in Ireland and Scotland, where your father is supposedly hiding," he said quietly, glancing around the café anxiously. "I was told you were interested in his whereabouts and what sort of activities he was conducting."

Draco began looking through the pictures.

"Who told you that?" he asked calmly.

"Gregory Goyle."

This stopped Draco for a moment as he processed it before he continued to flip through the photos and data.

"Where did you get this?"

"I have my sources, Mr. Malfoy, but I would be a dead man if I revealed them to you," the man answered quickly and Draco snorted.

"You're already a dead man, Mr… Thomas, was it?" he asked and the man frowned.

"Yes. Thomas… what do you mean-"

Draco sat up straight in his chair and set the pictures down carefully on the table.

"First of all, Gregory Goyle isn't the one who told you that I needed this information. He's never been to the Ministry of Magic and is not in contact with anyone there. It was Vincent Crabbe. Secondly, your name isn't _Mr._ Thomas, its Thomas Cathers. Thirdly, those woods aren't from Ireland or Scotland. They're of the Black Forest in German," he snapped, giving the man a cold look. "So what the hell are you doing here?"

The look on the man's face changed quickly from shock to anger and then became blank.

"You figured it out very quickly, didn't you?" he asked coolly and Draco's eyes narrowed.

"What are you doing here?"

Thomas Cathers leaned forward over the table, eyes darkening by the moment.

"There are those who don't appreciate your indecision, Draco Malfoy," he growled dangerously. "Hogwarts is going to be the center of attention come fall and you better hop on board the boat before you drown."

Draco raised an eyebrow.

"Is this recruitment from my father?" he asked and the man laughed.

"Your father?" He shook his head. "This is coming from the Dark Lord."

While his face betrayed nothing, his skin became incredibly pale at the statement and a cold feeling shot down his spine.

"You can tell Voldemort to kiss my arse," he growled and Cather's eyes ignited into blazing infernos.

"_How dare you speak his name_?!" he hissed, pulling out his wand and standing up quickly. Before anyone in the café could make another move, Draco stood up as well and pointed his wand at the man.

"_Avada Ke-_"

Draco beat him to it.

"_Avada Kedavra!_"

The reaction to what he had done was slow, considering the fact that there were three Aurors outside. Draco's eyes immediately went to the table in the corner, completely forgetting the body on the ground and found that the chair was empty.

Perhaps that Zabini character was not as thick as he appeared.

"Malfoy, put your wand down now before I blow your head off!"

_Took them long enough_, Draco thought as he dropped his wand to the floor and put his hands behind his head in a position he was all to used to taking. The Aurors approached him and quickly bound him up roughly while a couple ushered bystanders out of the café.

"Moody's on his way," the one by the door growled and Draco rolled his eyes.

Possibly his least favorite person from the Ministry had to be Alastor Moody, the wizard with one real eye. The man was a pain in Draco's arse and with this situation, he knew the old Auror would be on him from here to eternity.

"I can't wait to meet him," he said and the wizard holding him shoved him painfully down into the corner, glaring at him hatefully.

"You're going a way for this, Malfoy," he snarled and Draco snorted.

"I wouldn't count on it," he replied. "I've never been to Azkaban and I have no intention of going there any time soon."

"SHUT UP!" one of the other Aurors bellowed from his place beside the dead man. "Don't say another word, Malfoy."

Choosing to remain silent, Draco just leaned back against the wall, holding back a wince as the bonds cut through his skin. Pleading brutality was useless in the paranoid time they were in where Aurors were believed over anyone else. All he would have were witnesses.

That was all he really needed.

* * *

"Did you hear about what happened with Malfoy?" Hermione asked at breakfast the next morning and Ron and Harry immediately looked up from their food, eager to hear the rest. Hermione frowned at the amount of food in their mouths but continued nonetheless. "He was arrested."

Much to her disgust, Ron swallowed all of the food in his mouth before he spoke.

"For what?"

She wrinkled her nose at him and looked down at the newspaper she was reading.

"Murder," she told them. "He killed someone in Diagon Alley."

Harry snorted.

"That's no surprise. It was a matter of time before the prat did something to get himself caught," he muttered and Hermione frowned.

"Harry, I'm not too sure he's going to be convicted," she said, reading the rest of the paper. "He's being detained at the Ministry until his arraignment, but I have a feeling he's going to be let out."

Ron frowned and leaned forward in his chair.

"What makes you so sure? He killed someone in plain sight!"

Hermione sighed and turned the paper around, pointing to the picture that accompanied the front page article. In it, Draco Malfoy was being led out of the café by five Aurors, headed by Moody. The blonde nuisance had a smirk on his face.

"That's exactly the point, Ron," she replied sternly. "For the past few weeks, any time anyone's been arrested, particularly the Malfoys, its for something no one's ever heard of. Now he's done something so public, declaring himself a Death Eater would have been more low profile." She returned to looking over the article. "Malfoy never does anything so… _blatant_ without doing it on purpose."

Harry and Ron exchanged glances before shifting uncomfortably in their seats.

"She's got a point," Harry conceded and Ron released a groan.

"You really think he'll be released?"

Hermione nodded her head.

"I'm certain of it, unfortunately. They're saying that some witnesses are turning up and it might just turn into a self-defense case," she told them, taking a bite out of her toast. "I mean, if witnesses are backing up Malfoy's story-"

"Malfoy always has someone to back up his story, Hermione," Harry growled depressingly. "He always has an alibi and even when he doesn't have an alibi, there are ten witnesses there to say that it wasn't his fault. The prick's a walking 'not guilty' plea."

Ron shrugged, glancing over at the kitchen door.

"Well, not that this isn't interesting, but I think we'd best push off before Moody comes around," he suggested. "He'll be in a right fine mood when he arrives back from the Ministry and I'd prefer not to be around when he comes looking."

Hermione frowned at this, but could not help but agree, standing up and grabbing her bag, which she kept with her at all times. It contained essentials that she and the boys would need in case of an emergency. She had to be prepared.

"Fine," she whispered. "Perhaps we'll meet Ginny there."

Harry looked up from finishing the rest of his food and frowned.

"You told her we were going?"

Hermione shook her head and motioned for them to follow her.

"No. Tonks did though. She said poor Ginny's been stuck in the house for the past two weeks and let it slip that we'd be going down to Diagon Alley for a while. She didn't say when though."

Ron snorted, pushing the door open for Hermione.

"Knowing mum, Ginny probably won't be there," he said. "Mum's never been interested in letting Gin do anything over the summer.

Harry frowned.

"She's been in the house for two weeks?"

Hermione would have answered had they not been greeted by seven Aurors standing in the hall, eyes on them. Her face grew warm and she backed up a little directly into Ron's chest. He grabbed her hips to steady her and hot liquid shot up her spine, causing her to jolt and turn a little in his arms so that he was forced to let her go. They shared a quick glance before Harry coughed and crossed his arms over his chest.

"We're just visiting Olivander. We're not going to battle," he muttered after realizing how many Aurors there were. Tonks appeared from the door and smiled.

"We just want to keep you safe, Harry," she said warmly and he sighed.

"I don't need-"

Hermione placed a hand on his shoulder, quieting him and giving him a stern look.

"Harry, it's best we let them come along. Better safe than sorry, right?"

Harry obviously did not like the idea, but after receiving a look from Ron, he relented and followed the Aurors out the door. He hated this, but he was in no mood to argue with Hermione. She would always win.

* * *

"Mum, can I please go to Diagon Alley?" Ginny begged for the fourth time that day. It had been a week since Hermione's last letter and finally Tonks had told the poor Weasley that the trio would be in Diagon Alley for a few hours for an undisclosed meeting with some chap Ginny had never heard of. Not that she cared. She just wanted to see them. "Mum, please!"

Mrs. Weasley sighed and looked up from searching through a desk for some files.

"Ginny, I said no, already," she replied tersely. "We've been over this. It's too dangerous."

"But Harry's going to be there, which means there's going to be a lot of security, which means it's _not_ dangerous," Ginny whined, tugging on her mother's shirt. "Mum, please, I haven't seen them for five weeks now and I've been trapped in this house for two of those weeks! I need to get out of the house!"

Mrs. Weasley would not relent.

"I'm sorry, honey, but I can't let you go. You don't even know when they're going to be there," she pointed out and Ginny released a frustrated sigh.

"Then I'll just go now and wait until they get there."

Appalled by the idea, Mrs. Weasley slammed the drawer shut and turned to her daughter.

"I am not sending you to Diagon Alley by yourself just so you can wait and see _if_ they turn up," she snapped. "You know very well how dangerous it is now and it would be neglectful of me as a parent if I just let you run around there by yourself."

"Fred and George will be there!"

"No they won't and you know they won't. They've gone off to Chelsea to see if they can purchase another shop."

Ginny groaned and fell back on the couch, placing a pillow over her head before screaming into it. Mrs. Weasley sighed, hating to see her daughter so restless. She understood the stress Ginny was under with her brother, Harry and Hermione out of the house. But she could not allow her only daughter just go to Diagon Alley by herself. She was not about to lose a child in this war.

"Look, Ginny, I'm sorry you're upset about this, but I will not lose you," she whispered. "I can't lose any of you. Not now."

"What about Ron?" came her daughter's muffled question.

"Ron's already with them. You're not."

Ginny released another sigh into the pillow before removing it from her face and sitting up. She ran a hand through her hair and then looked around impatiently.

"Fine," she muttered right before they heard the door downstairs open.

"I'm home!"

Mrs. Weasley and Ginny exchanged glances before they hurried downstairs to find Arthur Weasley coming down the hall from the entrance.

"Dad, what are you doing here?" Ginny asked. He looked up at them and smiled.

"Oh, I'm only here for a moment before I have to go back. I'm just getting something from your mother," he replied, giving Ginny a kiss on the cheek before turning to Mrs. Weasley. "Molly, did you find the file?"

She shook her head and held up a hand.

"No, but I know where it is," she said before hurrying back up the stairs. Ginny sighed and leaned against the banister, attracting her father's attention.

"Something wrong, honey?" he asked and she shrugged.

"I'm bored, Dad," she said.

"She wants to go to Diagon Alley," Mrs. Weasley announced and his eyes darkened.

"I don't think so, baby," he said quickly. "You're not going to Diagon Alley by yourself."

Ginny released a growl.

"I'm not going to be by myself. Harry, Ron and Hermione are going to be down there sometime today," she told them adamantly, but Mr. Weasley seemed resolved instantly.

"You're not going down there."

"But-"

"No," Mrs. Weasley snapped and Ginny clamped her mouth shut, looking resolutely at the ground. Her parents exchanged a look before Mr. Weasley sighed.

"But… perhaps you can come with me to the Ministry," he suggested. "I could use some help filing some things."

Ginny frowned.

"Filing, dad?"

Mrs. Weasley gave her a nudge.

"It's better than staying in here," she pointed out and Ginny sighed. She was probably right.

"Fine, let me get my wand and I'll be right down," she consented, running back up the stairs. She grabbed her bag and stuffed her wand in it. Everest began pawing at her jeans, giving her a very pointed look before she sighed and picked him up. "Fine, but you better be quiet, or you'll get me in trouble." She placed the cat in the bag and then grabbed one of Fred and George's concealing tricks and put in the bag as well so that when she went through the security check point, they would not see the cat. It was a private trick that the twins only gave to trusted friends and family, knowing that if it was sold in stores, then they would get in some trouble with the Ministry of Magic. Not something they were interested in at the moment.

When she came back down, her mother looked over her quickly.

"You're going to wear that?"

Ginny looked down at her clothes, finding nothing wrong with the baby blue blouse and shorts.

"Yes," she replied but before Mrs. Weasley could respond, Mr. Weasley whisked his daughter off.

"Bye, dear!" he called over his shoulder as he ushered Ginny out the door. "Love you!"

Upon arriving at the Ministry of Magic, Ginny followed her father closely through the checkpoints, looking around anxiously at the longer lines of civilians who were trying to get through the main lines. There were a lot of unhappy and worried people standing in line and it was making Ginny nervous. It was not often that the Ministry had such an atmosphere of gloom about it when Voldemort or some Death Eater had not just visited.

"Hurry along, Ginny," Mr. Weasley advised. "We don't want to stay down here too long. Loitering's become a serious offense as of late."

"What happens?" she asked curiously as they got into the crammed elevator and he pushed their button.

Mr. Weasley glanced around and shook his head.

"They disappear for a while and then never loiter again," he said quickly and she bit her lip, looking down at her feet as they waited for the doors to open at their floor. Even the elevator ride was tense as more people came on and got off, eyeing each other warily and clutching their papers to themselves. "Here we are, Gin." She hurried off the elevator and down the hall to her father's small office. Papers were stacked in mounds on his desk and little memos were fluttering over his chair, waiting impatiently for him to sit down. Shoeing them away, he sat down heavily at his desk and sighed, motioning around him. "As you can see, I need some help putting these things away."

It was then that Ginny realized how exhausted her father was. There were bags under his eyes and he looked a little thinner than she remembered. The pictures on the walls were covered by newspaper clippings involving raid information and attacks on certain places of interest. Ginny took a deep breath and picked up a large stack, teetering a little before she found her footing.

"Where do these go, Dad?" she asked confidently and he smiled, thankful for her help.

"Most of these need to go back to the Archives. Do you remember where those are?" he asked and she nodded, heading out the door.

"I'll be back soon," she called over her shoulder before she headed for the elevators to go further up. A couple of women eyed her and one offered to help with her load, but Ginny shook her head as they waited for the elevator. The women returned to their conversation.

"Well, I'm just worried that Hogwarts might not open again. My son's going to be in his first year and he is so excited about attending. If it's not safe, I don't know how I'll tell him he can't go," the older of the two admitted.

"I thought it was cleared to return," the other one said and the older one nodded.

"It was, but I'm just worried that… with some of those students being related to known Death Eaters…" she whispered, glancing around. "I don't know how long a school could be open with such a threat."

The elevator doors opened and the women's conversation ended abruptly as they got on. Ginny sighed and waited for the elevator to go up. She hoped Hogwarts would be open.

She was the only one to get off for the archives, not that she cared. She made her way to the Archive section of the floor and found the woman there reading a book. The lady looked up quickly when Ginny approached and eyed her.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I've got to put these back," Ginny replied, holding up the files in her hands. "Arthur Weasley sent me."

The woman's eyes flashed to Ginny's hair and she snorted.

"I figured." She pointed to the back of the Archive section. "I think those go back there."

"Thank you."

Ginny walked to where the woman had pointed and began looking around for the right places for the files to go. She set them down on the floor and then checked numbers, trying to match some of the files to the shelves they belonged to. Before doing so, however, she remembered to take Everest out of her bag and she set him on the floor, and looking around to make sure no one saw.

"You need to stay here with me," she said, not that she had to. The cat purred and curled up into a little ball, watching her through curious blue eyes. Smiling, Ginny began to put files away, occasionally stopping to stroke the cat or just poke around for anything interesting.

"So this is what Weasleys do on holiday?"

Ginny bit her lip to cover up the startled yelp that rose to her throat, but she could not help but drop the files she was about to return. Draco Malfoy took a step back to get out of the way and crossed his arms over his chest, eyeing her carefully.

Ginny Weasley had not been one of the brood that Draco thought of when he mentally tortured the redheaded family in his mind. In fact, she rarely crossed his thoughts if she was not trailing after the Golden Trio like some sad puppy. The only reason he knew she even existed was because his father was dense enough to believe that making the youngest Weasley was a perfect way to channel the Dark Lord. That idea went well.

Then again, rumors had passed his ears about how Weasley had been involved with Potter for some time. After a few months, more news hit him that the two had split. Draco's eyes moved over her and quickly came to the conclusion that anyone who dropped Potter could not be too bad.

He had been quiet for so long that Ginny was becoming nervous. She knew about what he had done to that man at Diagon Alley and while she was certain that he had no intentions towards her, the fact that they were alone did not help quell the fear building in her stomach. That, however, did not stop her from putting on a tough front.

"Do you need something?" she asked curtly, bending down to pick up the files she had dropped. "Or are you just passing time before you're sent away?"

Draco raised an eye at her, slightly impressed that she would even mention it.

"You're very blunt, Weasley. Poor, unnecessary and… redheaded… but _quite_ cold," he observed and she looked up at him, eyes hardening.

"You're a prick," she responded. "Now go away before I call the woman upfront."

Draco snorted and leaned against the shelf. Ginny's cat, Everest, got up from the ground and scurried behind some books, releasing an unhappy moan.

"She won't be much help."

Ginny stood up and gave him the coldest look he had ever received from a woman other than his mother.

"I have hexed your arse once with bats, Malfoy," she hissed, moving over so that their faces were very close together. "I've learned some new things since then."

Draco smirked and moved closer so that their noses touched, causing a surge of electrifying energy to shoot down both their spines.

"So have I," he responded huskily. Ginny's eyes narrowed and she backed away from him, having no intention of turning her back.

"My tricks don't get rid of people," she whispered threateningly, her eyes glancing down to his trousers pointedly. "Just… things…"

Suddenly Draco was intrigued by this pretty little redhead with the Siamese cat and armful of files. It was one thing to be strong willed. It was another to be blatantly unafraid. Ginny Weasley was currently bordering on the latter.

He leaned back on the shelf and watched her shove things angrily on the shelf, occasionally releasing a huff and glancing in his direction. He could tell he was slowly unnerving her, but she seemed to be reluctant to acknowledge his presence again. This new development also piqued his interest. The Weasley seemed to be channeling many aspects of the three dolts she hung around and it was amusing that she happened to be doing it quickly right in front of him.

"Are you seriously just going to stand there and watch me?" she demanded suddenly, turning back to him. "What is this? Some sort of Slytherin stalking game?"

"I'm not stalking you."

"Then why are you still here?"

Draco's eyes moved over her with such a deliberateness that she could not help but blush. She felt as if he was boring into her soul and it felt wrong.

This whole situation was wrong.

"I'm curious, Weasley," he told her. "I'm very curious."

"About what?"

He tilted his head to the side.

"Everything."

There was something about the way her eyes softened briefly that simultaneously infuriated and roused him, which in turn irritated him at the mixture of emotions that he normally would not feel within the span of a year. This girl would soon become an annoyance if he did not catch himself.

"I should go," he said, turning carefully towards the exit.

Ginny hesitated before placing her hand on her hip and glaring at his perfectly styled blonde hair.

"Scared, Malfoy?"

_Are you dafted?! That's Draco bloody Malfoy_, her mind screamed as the young man slowly turned around to face her, his face completely unreadable. He was the physical manifestation of all things she should hate and yet she could not move as he approached her again. That did not, however, keep her from trembling a little as their faces once again became so close that she could feel his breath on her skin. His icy grey eyes roamed over her face, revealing absolutely nothing to her but the mere fact that their existence to each other was no longer just mere acquaintances.

"Scared, Weasley?" he asked, his hand coming up to twirl a piece of her auburn locks in his finger. A smirk came to his face. "Or are you just excited?"

There was a sudden rush of adrenaline that hit Ginny in a way that she was unable to comprehend. Every ounce of her being suddenly felt the overwhelming need to be as close to Draco as possible and it repulsed her to know that such an arousing feeling could actually circulate through her with the blond in her thoughts. Her eyes moved down to his lips and she felt their bodies brush up against each other, causing another wave of adrenaline to crash upon her. She could feel her breathing becoming more labored and her mind was beginning to drift away from her.

"I think a little bit of both," she replied without thinking and the smile on Draco's face disappeared.

"What's going on?"

The two turned around swiftly to see Ginny's father standing at the end of the aisle with Moody. Both men had very disturbed looks on their faces.

"Dad?" Ginny gasped, recovering quickly from her trance. "What… what are you-"

"Ginny, come here now," Arthur demanded abruptly, eyeing Draco suspiciously. When she did not move, his eyes darkened. "Ginerva, now!"

Ginny hurriedly gathered up her bag and coached Everest from his hiding spot, holding the cat close to her as she moved to her father's side. It was then she realized that there a few more Aurors standing there, watching the situation carefully. Ginny bit her lip, looking between them and Draco, who had not moved a muscle upon catching sight of Moody and his drawn wand.

Draco was quick, but that man's magic eye was quicker.

Moody motioned to the Aurors and two of them walked over to where Draco stood.

"You're court session was ten minutes ago. You're late."

Draco snorted.

"Was that today?"

Moody's eye narrowed and he pointed to the exit.

"Take him out of here, now," he ordered.

Draco went willingly, but not before giving Ginny a wink as he walked past her and her father. Ginny held Everest close to her, turning her gaze to her feet and keeping it there until her father addressed her again.

"Is something wrong, Ginny?" he asked when they were alone and she shook her head.

"Just a little tiff, nothing to worry about, dad," she muttered disbelievingly. "He was just being a prick."

Though his instincts as a father provoked him to question her further, he had a feeling that what he had just walked on was more than a little tiff between two children and he could tell that his daughter was extremely uncomfortable with talking about it. Instead, he just nodded and pointed to Everest.

"How did you get him past security?"

Ginny looked down at the cat and bit her lip, offering her father an apologetic smile.

"He slipped into my bag?" she offered weakly and he shook his head at her.

"Ginny, I wonder about you sometimes," he said, going over to the fallen files and picking them up.

"What do you wonder?" she asked curiously and he looked up at her. He was silent for a moment, still remembering how close she and Malfoy had been only moments before he and Alastor had interrupted them. Disturbing as it may have been, it was an idea that had crossed his mind several times before this occasion. Not necessarily with Malfoy in mind, but with a boy in general.

"I wonder how come you're growing up so fast," he told her and she grinned, coming over and giving him a warm hug.

"I'm not growing up too fast, Dad," she corrected. "I still have a little ways to go."

Arthur shook his head and kissed her temple.

"I don't know… you've matured a lot since last year. You've become more independent."

Ginny shrugged, setting Everest down and helping her father with the rest of the files. Her mind went to Draco and how much darkness plagued his life on a daily basis and how exhausted her father was during these trying times.

"I think I'm okay with not growing up anytime soon," she told him quietly, running a hand through her hair and sighing. "It seems very hard these days."

**A/N: Okay, okay, yes, I'm writing another one and I haven't even finished Life After Death, but I can't help it. I'm restless and I need something a little new to get the juices flowing again. I will finish the other one, I promise!**


	3. Intentions Above All

_It is difficult to say who do you the most harm: enemies with the worst intentions or friends with the best. _**- Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton**

* * *

Ginny's incident at the Ministry with Draco had been shoved to the back of her mind almost instantly when she returned to the Burrow. That was partially due to the fact that Dumbledore was there with Kingsley and another woman Ginny did not recognize. She and her father entered the kitchen and he addressed them.

"Is something wrong, Albus?" Mr. Weasley asked tentatively and Mrs. Weasley stood up from the table, looking at her daughter.

"Ginny, you need to go upstairs and close your door," she said and Ginny frowned.

"Why? Can't I stay?"

Dumbledore shook his head.

"This is very sensitive information, Ms. Weasley. I advise that you go."

This was not the normal meetings they had been having at the Burrow lately. Dumbledore's eyes lacked the twinkle that usually lit his blue eyes and Ginny's mother was silently begging her to leave.

"Did something happen to Harry?" Ginny heard herself ask and Mrs. Weasley groaned.

"Ginny, please go," she pleaded. "It's important that you are not here."

"But-"

"Ginerva," Mr. Weasley snapped. "Leave."

Ginny would have protested, but a quick look from Dumbledore silenced her immediately and she reluctantly left the kitchen, slowly making her way up the stairs to her bedroom. It disturbed her that they were suddenly keeping things from her and it was unnerving to know that something bad was happening and she had no way of knowing about it. Her thoughts drifted to her brother and his friends at the Black House and how desperately she wished to see them.

Her tolerance of being left in the dark was slowly waning and she wanted to be able to do more than just sit around the house, cleaning or filing at the Ministry.

She wanted to be useful.

* * *

"Master Draco, your guests have arrived," a house elf announced tentatively before moving out of the doorway to allow Goyle and Crabbe into Draco's room. Draco waited until the elf was gone and the door shut before he spoke.

"Mr. Thomas was not particularly interested in helping me," he said calmly, scanning the book he had been reading earlier. "I didn't appreciate the way the meeting ended."

"Draco-"

"I'm not finished," Draco growled, standing up and turning around to face them, his eyes icy and stoic. "You vouched for him and he tried to kill me."

"He was very avid to the cause," Goyle muttered and Draco's eyes turned to him.

"And it got him killed and it will get you killed if you don't explain yourself."

Crabbe and Goyle exchanged looks before Crabbe stepped forward.

"He approached me two weeks ago and told me he had information about Lucius. It checked out."

"With who?"

Goyle could see the sweat appearing on Crabbe's pudgy face and stood up a bit straighter.

"Draco, we have a more pressing matter to talk about," he mumbled and Draco's eyes flashed dangerously.

"More pressing than the bastard I killed in front of ten people," he hissed and Goyle pulled out a letter.

"Your mother," he said and Draco immediately grabbed it, reading it quickly before looking up.

"Where did you get this?" he demanded and Goyle pointed to Crabbe. The other boy hesitated a little before he spoke up.

"After the Diagon Alley incident… I started searching through… everything, really and I-"

"Skip to the part where I find it interesting," Draco snapped and Crabbe nodded.

"Yes, well, _that_," he pointed to the letter, "was on its way to your mother and my bird intercepted it."

"Really?"

"Yes."

Draco looked between the two cronies and then back to the letter.

_To whom it may concern, _

_I am writing in response to your request a week ago to obtain the necessary funds to acquire some assistance in England. I have received some interest in the venture and am currently in contact with Headmaster to provide the necessary opportunity to send them over. My next correspondence shall be in the next two weeks. _

_It has also come to my knowledge that your son has yet to receive clarification on the matter of the war. While that is understandable in his current position, I cannot stress the importance of his acceptance of his position within these ranks. There are several who answered your request who are uncertain about where your son stands in terms of being helpful. Assurance is a formidable ally in this time and would be much appreciated._

_Yours Truly._

Draco stared at the text, contemplating a way to go about this.

_Has yet to receive clarification…_

Those words were just as bad as the acid that would be poured onto his skin to create assurance in the minds of those who his mother contacted. Contrary to what the man who wrote this letter may have believed, Draco had perfect clarity of what was going on in the war and had no intention of joining the whole, hopeless affair. Only one side would become victorious in that venture and he was well aware of the power of both sides.

It was interesting to know that his mother was still intending to create an incident within the walls of Hogwarts after several warnings by not only Dumbledore, but her own husband to stay away from the school. This must have been the idea of Bellatrix. His mother was much too passive to concoct such a fantastical plan.

Then again, Bellatrix was too aggressive to wait patiently to infiltrate Hogwarts.

Someone else was involved.

"You've saved yourself this time, Crabbe," Draco said slowly, looking up at the boy. "But just barely."

At this point, the boy was sweating profusely, which irritated Draco and forced him to point to the door.

"Get out," he growled. Crabbe fled the room while Goyle stayed behind, keeping his eyes averted from the unhappy blonde. Draco placed the letter down on his desk and then sat back down on the couch, motioning for Goyle to sit down as well. They were quiet for a moment while Draco thought carefully through his next words.

"Crabbe's becoming weak," he whispered and Goyle hesitated, unsure of how to respond. Draco did not wait for him to. "I can't have weakness in my ranks." Their eyes met and Goyle frowned.

"Are you going to get rid of him?" he asked cautiously and Draco shook his head.

"No," he replied. "He could still be useful… but I want you to have him watched for the rest of the summer." Draco then remembered what happened at the café and sat back in his seat. "I also want information to Zabini to be… censured carefully."

"You don't trust him."

Once again, Draco thought of the dark skinned boy and Warrington. There was too much tension there for Draco to be completely at ease with what was going on. Sooner or later it would have to be addressed.

"I don't want to question the integrity of those who say they are loyal to me," he growled. "If this war is to be weathered out, then I do not need Slytherins to start slaughtering each other."

"Zabini's smart though," Goyle pointed out. "Smarter than Warrington."

Draco nodded, but was still a little wary. Until he was able to really assess and test Zabini, he would reserve his trust for Goyle.

"I don't want to see him around unless I ask for him, okay?"

Goyle nodded and stood up, moving to leave.

"Anything else?"

Draco looked up at the boy and for some reason his mind went to the Ministry and his run in with the girl Weasley.

"What do you know about Ginerva Weasley?" he asked and Goyle raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Weasley's sister?"

"Yes."

Shifting a little, Goyle tried to rack his brain for anything he remembered about the girl. For the most part, he ignored all aspects of Weasley unless they were confronted by the redhead. He had never said a word to the younger one and had never found reason to. To see Draco's interest was a little unnatural.

"I don't know anything about her, Draco," he said honestly. "Pretty, but that's it."

Draco nodded and then pointed to the door.

"Contact me when you get some information about Cathers. I want know who he was really working for."

The door shut quietly behind the large boy, leaving Draco to the darkness of his room. His mind went over the events of that week, trying to figure out how he had come from searching for clothes to killing a man.

What bothered him most was that he was not bothered by it. He had continued on as if nothing had happened and he had a feeling that that was not the natural response to such an action. The looks of terror on those who had witnessed what he had done indicated the very monstrosity that resided within him and he wondered how he was even able to conceal it so well while it consumed those like his aunt and the unpleasant Fenrir Greyback fellow that visited the Malfoy residence occasionally.

This little reminder, however, was not enough to make him feel guilty for offing the dull and unfortunate Mr. Thomas Cathers. The man had attacked him first and while all of those witnesses may despise Draco for his connections, there was no denying the bald man's attempted actions towards Draco. A threat to life was a threat to life and any person who wanted to kill Draco deserved to die first.

Now, all he had to deal with a trial, where he would be acquitted of the charges. He would have to return to the Ministry in a week, but until then, he was out on the condition that he did not leave the country.

Draco snorted and leaned back on the couch, closing his eyes and smirking.

Like he had somewhere outside of England to be.

Being confined to England was a joke in itself and Moody had protested the agreement. The judge, however, a very close friend of the family, would not be swayed from his decision. There were so many things for Draco to do until his trial. Like go to the Archives.

Sighing, he shook his head and stood up, heading for the bathroom.

His behavior towards the Weasley had been less than appealing at best, considering the circumstances. They had both uttered words that were childish and a little aggressive, but Ginny's body language towards the end of their conversation and the words she had said to him indicated something more subtle.

Had it been any other Weasley, specifically the one who vocalized Harry Potter's thoughts, Draco would not have even approached them. But the youngest Weasley had caught and drawn his attention to her for the mere fact that she was alone in a place where people should not be alone anymore. In his presence, she had quickly run through many different feelings about his proximity and gradually expressed those feelings with words. Very frank and unforgiving words that he had a feeling she reserved particularly for him.

While he was perfectly capable of denying his feelings for the lesser pureblood, he could not refute the physical attraction that was blatantly there. Just their mere proximity caused shockwaves down his spine. And even without her slip up at the end, he could tell that she was just as attracted.

Pulling off his clothes, he stepped into the shower and ran hot water over his cold, pale skin, turning up the temperature in hopes that he would actually feel something.

He was surprised he was actually entertaining such thoughts for such a girl. Unlike most girls from Hogwarts, Ginny was untouchable for the mere reason that she was associated with Potter. Had she just merely been Weasley's little sister, then perhaps he would allow himself the freedom to think of her as more than just a nice arse and beautiful words.

But that was the only reason he had not provoked her further. She was not her brother, or Potter or that smart little Mudblood. There was no need to venture further into an unnecessary relationship. They were fine just antagonizing each other.

He was fine just being a pain.

The bathroom door opened and he pulled open the small door to the shower to see Pansy Parkinson come in, closing the door behind her.

"Your mother told me you were here," she whispered, eyeing the fogged glass door that kept them apart. "I thought I would offer my services if necessary."

Draco looked her over, becoming aroused at the mere thought of what she could do to him.

"They are required," he said before closing the door. He heard her move around and a moment later, the glass door opened and she appeared before him, naked and ready. A grin came to his face and he slowly moved his hands up to her hips, pulling her flush up against him. She groaned at the contact and her eyes closed as she struggled to retain clarity. Whimpers began to escape her lips as his mouth traveled down her neck towards her breasts, her fingers digging into his skin with every slight caress.

Pansy had never been very good at controlling her emotions, which was quite possibly her biggest weakness. But at the moment, Draco was not interested in assessing the young woman. All he wanted was to spend a few hours fulfilling his needs before he would be forced to spend time with his tiresome mother.

Judging by the way Pansy was beginning to move against him, she was very willing to oblige.

* * *

Harry, Hermione and Ron had only been in the house for an hour before a discussion downstairs caught their attention. They slowly snuck down the stairs towards the kitchen and pressed their ears to the door, eager to hear what was going on.

"Looking past the actual action, I'm talking about _who_ he killed, Arthur," they heard Remus say. "Thomas Cathers was providing Voldemort with sensitive information and Draco Malfoy killed him."

The trio exchanged glances.

"So we should suddenly start inviting him over for tea just because he got rid of one bad egg?" Arthur demanded angrily. "If we did that, practically every bloody Death Eater would be here!"

"That's not the point, Arthur. The point is, Draco Malfoy is our only link within the Slytherin ranks and is as close as we'll ever get to Lucius Malfoy. If we can get him on our side-"

"Draco Malfoy is the son of a Death Eater and is probably one himself!" Alastor Moody bellowed, startling the three by the door. "If we put even the slightest bit of trust in that prick, then we'll end up costing Harry his life."

"What makes you so sure he's followed the steps of his father?" Remus demanded. "The boy may be troubled, but he is far from the point of no return. Dumbledore himself-"

"With all due respect to Albus, but I am not going to ask Draco Malfoy to be a snitch for the Order," Arthur growled.

At that point, Harry was too curious to keep it in and before the other two could stop him, he yanked the door open and stepped into the kitchen. The group of Order members standing there all looked at him with shock written all over their faces.

"Harry, what are you doing here?" Tonks demanded, watching as Hermione and Ron entered as well. "Were you three spying on this meeting?"

Harry ignored the question.

"You're going to ask Malfoy to join the Order?" he asked disbelievingly. Arthur Weasley frowned and stood up.

"No they're not. Harry, you should leave now," he advised but he would not be turned away.

"Are you asking Malfoy to join?" he demanded and Remus stood up.

"No, Harry, we have no intention of asking him to join, but," he added. "Seeing with the young man's current situation, it would be within our interest to offer him a chance to redeem himself by providing us with certain information that would be pertinent to us winning this war."

Hermione frowned and crossed her arms over her chest.

"You're going to ask him to be a snitch," she restated in simpler terms and immediately Ron and Harry's demeanor changed. Ron began shaking his head while Harry gave Remus a cold look.

"Malfoy's a Death Eater," Harry growled and Tonks shook her head.

"That has not been verified and it has become clear to us that he has no interest in joining his father in the war," she clarified. "You don't understand the pressure we're under, Harry."

"He's a _murderer_," Ron snarled. "He killed that man and he's done horrible things to all of us! He doesn't deserve a chance to be a snitch!"

"Boys, you need to calm down," Mr. Weasley said carefully. "This isn't any of your concern."

"You can't let him into the order!" Harry growled and Remus slammed his hand down on the table.

"That's enough!" he shouted, shaking the three out of their anger. "Now you three have been privy to a lot of information around here, but we have not told you everything for your own safety," he growled. Hermione was about to say something when Remus shot her a look. "Shut up," he snapped and the three of them sat down in shock, mouths clamped together and eyes wide open. Satisfied, Remus ran a hand through his thinning hair, cooling off slightly when Tonks placed a hand on his arm. "Look… you three do not understand everything that's going on right now… Voldemort has become silent and Death Eater activities have reached a lull. We're certain he has something planned for Hogwarts, but we cannot verify it without a reliable source. Now I know you three have your issues with the boy, but he is currently our only chance of getting information about his father and Voldemort."

Tonks sat down across from the trio.

"We have word from a good source that Malfoy hasn't yet taken the Mark, which is unusual unless he doesn't want to. If he is reluctant to join the Death Eater side, then perhaps he will be helpful to us," she explained.

Ron shifted in his seat and frowned.

"Why Malfoy?"

Hermione gave him a look.

"Ron, they just said-"

He shot her a withering glare and she fell silent, staring at him as he returned to looking at Remus.

"I meant why the sudden trust in his capabilities?" he clarified. "He just killed that man."

When the response was not immediate, Harry realized what was going on.

"It's _because_ he killed that man?" he asked disbelievingly.

Tonks glanced over at Moody, who still looked incensed about the whole situation.

"Thomas Cathers is the man he killed," she told them. "After a preliminary look through his office and home, we found out that he's been in contact with some known Death Eaters over the past couple of months. He also had some very important files that he should not have even had possession of. According to witnesses, Cathers tried to kill Malfoy first."

Ron snorted.

"Pity," he muttered and Hermione hit him in the arm.

"Ron, that's not funny."

He looked over at her.

"It wasn't meant to be funny, Hermione," he retorted. "Killing a Death Eater doesn't make Malfoy a good person." He stood up and headed for the exit. "It just means he has no problem killing someone publically."

Hermione watched him leave before she turned to Remus.

"How exactly were you planning to approach Malfoy with the offer?" she asked, attracting Harry's attention from the door as well.

At this point, Mr. Weasley returned to the conversation, his eyes blazing.

"This part is where you three have no business in knowing," he snapped angrily before turning to Remus. "And you have no business asking because it's not going to happen."

"Arthur, you said they -"

"What I told you in private has nothing to do with the situation and you bloody well know it," Arthur snarled. "You leave my family out of this."

Harry frowned.

"What's going on?"

Mr. Weasley turned to him.

"Nothing for you to concern yourself with, Harry," he assured, though it was obvious that he was still extremely upset. "Please leave."

Hermione ushered Harry out of the kitchen quickly before he could question the men further, pulling him up the stairs where Ron was sitting, examining the hole in his jeans.

"They can't be serious about letting Malfoy into the Order, can they?" he asked when they approached. Hermione looked down at him and frowned.

"Ron, they've got a point with this whole business. Especially if Malfoy hasn't taken the Mark. He's the perfect spy. Every student in Slytherin trusts him and tells him everything."

"But he can't be trusted," Harry objected. "He's just as bad as his father."

Hermione hesitated at the statement.

"Harry, I'm not particularly sure he's as bad as we think he is," she said and they gave her nasty looks. She bit her lip and corrected her statement. "What I meant is that while he may _say_ things and in general just be absolutely horrible, we've never actually seen him _do_ anything. I think he's just all talk."

Harry snorted.

"Fifth year wasn't just talk," he grumbled and Hermione sighed.

"You know what I mean, Harry," she chided. "He's never been involved in anything remotely related with Voldemort and you two know it."

Harry was about to protest when Ron cut him off.

"She's got a point, Harry," he pointed out. "Malfoy's a slimy git, but when it comes to Death Eaters, he's a pus-"

"Ron," Hermione snapped, glaring at him. He rolled his eyes and huffed, standing up so that he was now towering over her.

"I don't like him, Hermione," he responded pointedly. "I don't like him. Harry doesn't like him and I sure as hell hope you don't like him either."

Hermione frowned.

"Of course I don't like him, but that does not mean I have to demean him with such language, Ronald," she said, sniffing indignantly. "I think we're all bigger than that."

Harry snorted again, moving up the stairs with Ron.

"Sure it sounds like a good idea, but what could we _possibly_ offer him that would give him the _slightest_ incentive to tell us anything?" he asked incredulously. "Malfoy may not like his father or Voldemort but he _hates_ us… especially me."

Hermione released a strange noise and they looked at her. She blushed and motioned to Harry.

"Sorry, Harry, but I don't think Remus had you in mind when he was thinking of approaching Malfoy."

Ron frowned.

"Then who?"

Hermione shrugged and moved past them into her bedroom.

"I don't know, but I'd prefer not to think about it anymore," she said, sitting down on her bed and picking up a book. "Spending so much time thinking about Malfoy is starting to give me a headache."

Ron and Harry exchanged a glance before Ron pulled a face and sat down beside Hermione, surprising her a little and causing her to blush even more.

"I wonder what Ginny's doing."

Harry's eyes glazed over slightly before he shrugged and sat down in a chair.

"Probably going off her rocker by now," he muttered. "It's been at least six weeks since we left the Burrow and time for school is a few weeks away."

"Gin knew we wouldn't be around too much this summer," Ron responded. "We've been busy."

Hermione glanced up at Ron.

"No, _Harry_ has been busy," she corrected. "You and I were busy the first couple of weeks, but they've been spending more time with Harry than any of us."

"You'd think they'd want us out of here by now," Ron muttered, leaning towards Hermione to see what she was reading. Her cheeks were practically in flames by now, but she did not let on that his proximity was affecting her. She just bit her lip and motioned to Harry.

"Leaving Harry by himself is possibly the worst decisions they could make at this point," she remarked and Harry frowned.

"I can survive without you two," he said defensively and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Yes, Harry, I'm perfectly aware of how _capable_ you are, but what I meant was that you shouldn't be forced to be alone when Ron and I are willing to be here." She sniffed and looked down at her book. "Taking on Death Eaters by yourself is noble, Harry, but it's not particularly bright," she added, hinting at an incident that had occurred late in their sixth year. Harry became silent at the comment and just watched Hermione for a moment, noticing how red her face was getting as Ron continued to lean into her to scan over her book. He could not help but smile at this, knowing very well that Ron was oblivious to his affect on her and vice versa. It had been a while since he had noticed their growing attraction to each other, but he had only approached Hermione about it, knowing that Ron would reject the notion and deny any romantic feelings about his female friend. Hermione, on the other hand, had reluctantly confessed that her feelings for Ron were much stronger than they had been in previous years, but she had no intention of pursuing any relationship at the present time until he acknowledged his feelings as well.

Harry snorted.

Like that would ever happen.

Not that Harry was interested in seeing them get together any time soon. He may not have liked what Hermione had said about him, but he knew she was right about one thing. He would need the both of them in the upcoming months when they returned to Hogwarts and he was not necessarily sure how he would feel if they started spending more time with each other rather than helping him. Especially since he currently had no one of his own.

Not that he wished to get back together with Ginny Weasley. He had made sure to close that chapter in his life and while his feelings for her were still rather strong, he would not put himself, her or her family through the pain of making her an even bigger target. Harry was fine with remaining friends with the youngest Weasley as long and she had expressed similar feelings when they had called it quits.

"Ron, you're breathing down my neck," Hermione snapped uncomfortably, drawing Harry out of his revere. Ron mumbled some sort of an apology and stood up, going to sit down on the other side of the bed. Harry could see that Hermione was upset with how far he had moved, but she did not say anything. Instead she just went back to her book, but he could tell that she was no longer reading it. Her eyes frequently moved up to Ron and a frown would fall upon her lips, but when she saw Harry staring at her, she shifted awkwardly and fixed her eyes determinedly on her book. Not catching any of this, Ron turned to Harry.

"How about a game of chess?" he suggested and Harry shrugged, checking his watch.

"We've nothing to do for a couple of hours. I suppose," he agreed and Ron left the room to get his set. Harry glanced over at Hermione and smiled. "You're neck okay Hermione?"

Her eyes widened and she threw a pillow at him.

"Stop it, Harry," she snapped. "It's not funny."

"You're still beet red, Hermione," he pointed out and she gasped, placing her hands over her cheeks and releasing a groan.

"Oh I must look a mess!" she complained. "Do you think he noticed? Oh, of course he didn't, the oaf. He never notices anything."

"Who never notices anything?" Ron asked as he came back into her room and set the chess game out on a table. Hermione rolled her eyes and got up, walking out the room.

"No one," she muttered before uttering a few less than appropriate comments as she left. Ron frowned, turning to Harry.

"What's got her wand in a twist?" he asked and Harry shook his head, a smile on his face.

"Nothing, Ron. Nothing at all."


	4. Igniting Passion

_Love is often gentle, desire always a rage._ **-Mignon McLaughlin**

* * *

For the fourth time that week, Ginny found herself putting files away in the Archives, sighing occasionally at the growing boredom that was beginning to overthrow her reasoning. She had been at the Ministry for three hours now and was continuing to find more things that her father wanted put back. A radio she had brought a long was playing music quietly while she worked and Everest was slinking around, moving between aisles and popping up occasionally to purr and rub up against her. The woman up front had come back to where she was twice in the time Ginny had been there and both times they had chatted for a while, allowing the young Weasley a chance to learn more about what was going on around the Ministry.

Now she was just looking nosily through some files, too reluctant to return to her father's office for more things to put away. She had found quite a few files about Harry, but most of them were general information that she knew more about than the people who wrote the papers. Wandering around the Archives, she found some older shelves way in the back where family information was kept. Ginny poked through a couple of cabinets containing surnames for strictly pureblood families before she found a large folder containing the Weasley name.

Her curiosity piqued, she quickly sat down on the floor and opened it, finding several copies of family trees and birth certificates. A couple of the papers indicated occupations and medical records as well as reports for under aged magic usage.

Grinning, Ginny pulled out her brothers' files and found Ron's under aged magic use. There were a couple of infractions including something to do with her that she did not remember. She read through the report and her eyes grew.

She would have to talk to Ron about this later.

She put the folder back and looked around for another family.

As she sat down with the folder, Everest appeared from behind a shelf and curled up in her lap as she peeked into the Malfoy Family folder. There were several family trees in the folder, further proving just how much nobility the Malfoys actually came from. Her eyes caught sight of Sirius Black's name as well as Bellatrix Lestrange, It was a frightening idea to believe that Harry's godfather was actually related to such a violent and wicked woman. It was hard to believe anyone was related to such a woman.

Her mind went to Draco Malfoy and she wondered, considering his present situation, if underneath all of that cool, collected persona, there was the same brutality and madness that controlled Lestrange. She had heard that he had not batted an eye after killing Cathers and it was unnerving to know that the same young man had been so close to her only a week ago.

What she found strange as she looked through the Malfoy folder was that there was quite a bit of information missing. Medical records, finances, and birth certificates were missing for every member of the Malfoy family _except_ Draco Malfoy.

"I'm sure that's illegal, Weasley."

For the second time, Ginny yelped and whirled around, disturbing Everest and causing the cat to scurry behind some files. This time, she stubbed her foot against one of the metal shelves.

"Damn it, Malfoy," she snapped, glaring at him as she clutched her toe painfully. "What is _wrong_ with you?"

Draco looked her over and frowned.

"Are you hurt?" he asked and she stared at him, trying to figure out whether or not he was actually concerned or just asking because there was nothing better for him to say. His face was unreadable, which only angered her more.

"Do you have nothing better to do than just mess with me?" she demanded and he pointed to the papers she had dropped.

"If you looked closely, you saw that I had absolutely no medical record. I don't get sick," he told her, completely ignoring her question. Confused by his statement, Ginny looked down at the papers and then shot him a nasty look.

"Well, that can be changed if you don't leave me alone," she snapped. "Go away."

Draco shrugged, leaning against the shelf.

"I could leave, but I would be obligated to tell that nice woman up front that you're going through people's _confidential_ files without clearance." A smirk crossed his lips. "I'm not too sure how that would work for you."

Ginny glared at him as she kneeled down and began shoving the papers back into the folder and then put them in their place in the cabinet.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" she asked. When he did not respond, she looked over to see his eyes on her legs, which made her blush furiously. Snapping her fingers angrily, she caught his attention. "Hey! What are you looking at?"

An amused look fell over the Malfoy and he motioned to her.

"An unnaturally attractive Weasley," he answered and her face went completely red while her eyes became as wide as saucers. Satisfied with her silence, he moved past her and looked into the cabinet she had been snooping through. "Are all Weasleys so nosy?"

Ginny was still shocked by his previous statement and did not answer quickly enough for him. Instead of commenting on her lack of speech, he just changed the conversation.

"Well, Weasley, I would like to inform you that I have been cleared of all charges," he told her as he pulled out a folder for a file labeled Parkinson. "Mad-Eye Moody was not too pleased with the verdict."

"You were cleared?" Ginny stammered, backing away from him. "How?"

He shrugged, pulling out a medical file and snorting when he found some psychiatric evaluations mentioned in Pansy Parkinson's record.

"Self-defense, dear," he replied, flipping through the rest of the information. He was surprised to see that the young witch had had a check-up since he had seen her last, but his eyes darkened when he found a notation made by the healer.

_Ms. Parkinson had a general check-up today but when were asked her to roll up her left sleeve for a test, she adamantly refused. Complained of sensitivity to the area. When asked to examine, Ms. Parkinson refused again, claiming she knew what was wrong. The examination ended shortly after this._

So… Parkinson had done it…

"Are you okay?" Ginny asked quietly and he turned to her.

"What?" he hissed and she hesitated before pointing to his hand, which was now clutching his left wrist tightly. He noticed her backing up slowly and knew why.

"You looked upset," she muttered. "Never mind, though… um… I have to go-"

Ginny held her breath when he yanked his sleeve up and showed her his left arm.

"No need to be afraid, Weasley," he growled, his eyes darkening by the moment. "I am no Death Eater."

"I never-"

"It was in your eyes," he spat, approaching her. "My father may be a Death Eater, but I am not one and you can tell your little boyfriend, Potter, that as well."

Ginny's eyes widened and then narrowed quickly.

"I never thought you were a Death Eater, Malfoy," she snapped. "I was just asking if you were okay." She looked over him and then snorted. "Then again, I wouldn't expect you to recognize concern when you heard it."

Once again, Ginny Weasley was proving herself to be just as rude as himself and it was interesting to see. Perhaps this girl… no… His eyes went over her, stopping briefly at her chest before meeting her eyes again. No, perhaps this _woman_ would be an interesting pursuit after all.

Noticing the way he was looking at her, Ginny once again found herself flooded with emotions that were not natural to the person she was dealing with. For safety purposes and in an attempt to preserve her own sanity, she took a step away from him and crossed her arms over her chest defensively.

"You should go," she stated clearly and a little desperately. Ginny was well aware of Draco's reputation as a womanizer, and had heard of many a tale of his… conquests… While his taste in companions was left strictly to Slytherin, his taste in women was another thing. She had stumbled across several a Gryffindor girls who had lost her virginity to the handsome blonde. And while Ginny did not think herself part of his 'To Do' list of girls, she was not willing to risk the chance of passing his radar and becoming an interest. "Now, Malfoy," she snapped when he did not move.

"Eager to be rid of me, Weasley?" he asked curiously and she held up her chin.

"No…" Her eyes widened and she quickly corrected herself. "I mean yes… but…"The smile on his face was swiftly widening and she could feel her cheeks burning under his gaze. "I have work to do, so shove off," she finished angrily. "I'm sure you've got a lot of ambiguously legal things to do and a lot of unintelligent sluts to shag somewhere and I'm sure it's all very interesting, but I'd prefer you leave before I have to curse you and remove everything about you that makes you look remotely like a man."

Her determination was admirable and Draco had to respect her for being so forward with him when he could tell she was still terrified. Not even Pansy dared say things like that to him and he had given the little whore a lot of leeway when it came to her role in Slytherin.

"You seem tense," he pointed out and she groaned, picking up her bag and then looked for Everest.

"I'm leaving," she muttered irritably. "Everest. Everest, where are you?"

"Everest?"

Ignoring him, she got down on her knees and looked under one of the shelves to see two golden orbs gazing back at her.

"There you are, bloody cat," she grumbled, reaching out to grab the animal. As she did, Draco could not help but admire her rear end and found himself once again attracted to her, not wanting her to leave.

"Like the mountain?" he asked and she looked up at him, giving him a disbelieving look.

"Yes, Draco, like the bleeding mountain," she snapped. "A mountain I so happen to like."

Draco raised an eyebrow, his eyes moving over her again.

"Are you as hard to climb, _Ginny_?" he asked pointedly and her eyes widened at his boldness and her slip up. Grabbing the cat, she stood up and glared at him.

"Look, you little prick," she snarled, marching up to him and poking him in the chest. "Just because you think you've got the bullocks to shag every other giggling, daft whore who happens to find you attractive, does not give you the right to talk to me like I would _ever_ have the _slightest_ inkling to even let you _touch_ me."

It was in that one moment that Draco knew that this redheaded nuisance was possibly the most exciting thing that had ever happened to him in years. She was brash, afraid, beautiful, intelligent and arousing. A wonder of the world placed right in front of him for the purpose of him to explore.

Perhaps not sexually or even to fall in love, God forbid, but just for the express reason to study her for his amusement.

A smirk crossed his lips and he moved past her, heading towards the front of the Archives.

"I'll see you later, Weasley," he said over his shoulder. "Have fun."

Ginny watched him leave, clutching Everest to her tightly as several feelings crossed her.

Anger, confusion, curiosity and a new passion that by no means matched the feelings she once had for Harry Potter. These feelings were much more primal and terrifying and they felt absolutely wonderful.

Exhilarated and bewildered, Ginny gathered the rest of her things and slowly made her way out of the Archives, her mind still tormented by the looks Draco had given her and the sensations that had flooded her when he did. She remained oblivious to the world around her until she reached the Atrium level where her father saw her standing in the elevator.

"Ginny! Ginny!" he called quickly, motioning for her to get out. A woman tapped Ginny out of her revere and she blinked before thanking the woman and hurrying over to her father. "Ginny, what took you so long? Are you okay?"

Ginny shook her head but her eyes caught sight of Draco standing near the fountain with his mother and two unpleasant looking men. He glanced over at her and gave her a very suggestive wink, causing her to blush furiously and avert her eyes. Mr. Weasley frowned.

"Ginny, is something wrong?"

Jolting a little, she nodded slowly and looked up at her father.

"Find, dad," she said. "I'm great…" It was then that she noticed something was wrong. People were being ushered towards fireplaces and Aurors were beginning to fill up the Atrium, motioning for people to leave. "Dad, what's going on?"

Mr. Weasley shook his head and began to pull her towards the exit.

"An alert has been issued on the building," he told her. "We need to hurry and get home quickly."

"Has something happened?"

"Ginny, please," he whispered, ushering her along. "No more questions for the rest of the week. No more questions."

Ginny bit her lip and glanced over towards the fountain again. This time, Draco was gone and for some reason, she wished he wasn't.

* * *

"I'm not arguing, Remus, I'm just saying that she should be allowed to come over," Hermione snapped irritably, shoving her brown curls out of her face. "She has been subjected to being alone for so long, it isn't fair."

"Hermione, perhaps you should calm down," Harry suggested and she gave him a withering glare. He shrunk down in his seat and exchanged a glance with Ron, who had been chastised the same way earlier. The redhead shrugged, not wanting to say anything until he was certain Hermione's wand was well out of her reach.

"Hermione, it's not that we don't want her here, it's just not possible to bring her here anymore," Remus said slowly, having no interest in antagonizing her further. "We have received word that someone threatened to kill the Minister earlier. It's best that we keep a low profile on this place and not attract attention by transporting her here. Voldemort knows where Harry is, regardless of the fact that he has _just_ learned to close his mind." Harry's eyes darkened at the comment but said nothing. "Ginny is safer where she is."

Hermione shook her head and sat down between Ron and Harry.

"It's not fair. She shouldn't be kept in the dark for so long."

"Who shouldn't be kept in the dark?"

The trio turned around and gasped.

"Ginny!" Hermione squealed, jumping out of her eat and running over to where the youngest Weasley was standing, grinning from ear to ear and holding her cat, Everest, in her arms. The two girls hugged excitedly while Harry and Ron stood up to greet her.

"Ginny, what are you doing here?" Ron asked, pulling her into a hug and giving her a peck on the cheek. "Remus said-"

"I said she was safer where she was," Remus interrupted, giving Hermione a pointed look on his way out the door. "Have fun."

Hermione looked ashamed of her behavior, but turned back to Ginny with a smile.

"Oh, Ginny, how are you?" she asked urgently. "I've been wanting to write you for a long time, but-"

"It's okay, Hermione," Ginny cut in, glancing over at Harry. "Dad just dropped me here from the Ministry."

"You were at the Ministry?" Harry asked and Ginny instantly detected the concern in his voice. She offered him a comforting smile and gave him a peck on the cheek.

"It's good to see you, Harry," she whispered before turning to Hermione. "I need to change."

Hermione understood the girl's meaning and took her friend's hand.

"We'll see you two later," she said, ushering the girl up the stairs. When they reached Hermione's room, Ginny set her stuff down on the floor and then flopped down on her bed. Hermione sat down in a chair and watched the girl carefully. "Something wrong?"

Ginny sat up quickly, a look of surprise on her face.

"Why would you think something was wrong?" she asked quickly, causing Hermione to raise an eyebrow.

"We haven't seen you in weeks, Ginny and after two minutes you want to come up here and change?" she asked incredulously. "Honestly?"

Ginny shifted uncomfortably. Her encounter with Draco was still hard for her to wrap her mind around. How could she possibly begin to describe it to Hermione, who would probably reprimand her for having such thoughts in the first place.

No…

She would keep Draco to herself.

"Um… I just had a long day, that's all…" When Hermione gave her a look, Ginny shook her head. "Honestly, Hermione. I'm tired. I'll talk to them later, but right now… I just need some rest."

Hermione looked over her friend's face quickly before sighing and nodding.

"Fine, Ginny," she conceded. "But you'll tell me eventually, right?"

Ginny smiled.

"Only if you tell me about Ron."

Hermione's face went red and she stood up, heading for the door.

"Bye Ginny," she muttered.

Ginny waited until Hermione left before she laid back down and closed her eyes, breathing deeply as she tried to figure out what exactly was going on.

Never once had she and Draco Malfoy shared so many words in the sum of a year as they had in the past couple of weeks. Everything about their meetings suggested such an exhilarating connection that Ginny was afraid she might find herself wanting to see him more.

She could not afford to let that happen.

**A/N: I hope you like it!**


	5. The Opportunity of Coincidence

_He who has a thousand friends has not a friend to spare, and he who has one enemy will meet him everywhere._ **–Ralph Waldo Emerson**

* * *

"I think a party is a wonderful idea," Pansy agreed eagerly when Draco's mother suggested it only seconds earlier. The disconnected blonde found himself at the dinner table with ten people of less than high standing with the Ministry. All friends of Narcissa and supposedly friends of Draco as well, though he was not quite sure how accurate that statement was.

Pansy Parkinson was on one side of him while his mother sat on his right, eyeing him through cool, grey eyes. Goyle was sitting further down, poking at his food while Blaise Zabini, only God knew what he was doing there, sat across from the large boy. Crabbe was further still with several friends of the family dispersed around the table. They had been there since Draco had arrived back from the Ministry and his mother was now beginning to promote the idea of inviting more people to the house to celebrate Draco's innocence.

Whatever that meant…

"A costume party," Narcissa added, her eyes moving to Pansy warily. "It's best for us to meet new people, right?"

Draco could not help but smirk at the comment. While his mother and Pansy were extremely close, he was aware of the fact that Narcissa had no intention of letting Draco's relationship with the girl go any farther than sexual.

_A virgin, Draco_, his mother had told him earlier in life. _If ever you are to settle down, and you will eventually. It will be with a virgin. Not a slag like Pansy Parkinson. Have your fun with her, but I will not allow that girl to have power over this house when I am dead in my grave_.

Draco offered no protest.

He had no intention of marrying the girl. Just using her for her more exciting bits.

"I'd rather be left to my own devices, if you don't mind," he whispered, setting down his fork quietly. His mind flashed to Ginny Weasley briefly. "I do not need a… party."

Narcissa glanced over at him before taking a sip from her wine.

"You're having a party, Draco," she replied calmly. "It may be interesting for us to meet those we have not seen in a while under disguise of merriment."

Montague, a horrid man that Draco disliked, sat up straighter in his seat.

"When shall this… _merriment_ begin?" he asked coolly and Narcissa looked over at him.

"In a week."

Goyle jolted a little in his seat, attracting attention from everyone at the table, including a cold look from Draco. The young man hesitated before motioning to the door.

"My father requested me to be home before ten, tonight," he said, glancing over at Draco quickly. "Excuse me."

He stood up and left the silent table. They waited until the front door closed before Lillian Pellter, a friend of Narcissa's and a psychologist of sorts, turned to Draco, her black eyes burning into him.

"Draco, how certain are you of that boy's mental state?" she asked, fixing her limp brown hair as she stared at him.

Psychologist was an understatement. Draco could feel the woman trying to penetrate his mind and he immediately closed his mind, a smirk coming to his face all the while.

"That _boy's_ mental state is adequate, considering that you have been drilling through it for the past hour," he replied, understanding what had made his companion jolt in the first place. "I'm surprised he was able to kick you out."

The entire table became tense at that moment while they waited for the woman to respond.

"I highly doubt that was his own doing, Draco," she whispered pointedly and Narcissa turned to the woman.

"That's enough," she hissed and Pellter's face paled before she turned her eyes down to the table. Draco snorted and stood up, glancing over at Zabini, who remained seated.

"Mother, I highly recommend you dress that one up as a snake," he suggested, moving out of the room. "It suits her."

When he disappeared, Narcissa turned to Pellter.

"Next time you try to read the minds of those close to my son, I suggest you do it elsewhere, Lillian," she hissed before her eyes caught sight of Zabini, who had yet to say a word all evening. A smile crossed her pale lips and she leaned forward on the table.

"Blaise," she cooed. "Where exactly do you stand with Draco?"

Zabini's black eyes seem to grow darker as he stood up.

"My standing with your son is none of your concern," he said in an overly polite tone, but she could hear a sinister air beneath it that she did not like. "I know where my allegiances lie and it is not here."

Narcissa's eyes narrowed as the young man left the table. She waited until she knew he had vacated the house before pulling out her wand and waving it around her. The dining room doors slammed shut and the walls glowed briefly as she turned her attention to the remaining participants.

"Warrington," she whispered and the man looked up. "Your son… he is currently in a position of power within Draco's ranks, is he not?"

The man nodded quickly.

"Yes he is."

Narcissa looked over at him.

"I would watch that Zabini boy if I were you," she advised. "I've seen the look of treachery before and it was written all over his face."

Crabbe shifted a little in his seat, rubbing his beefy hands together nervously. To still be down here while Goyle and Zabini had left would leave ideas in Draco's mind that he could not afford. However, judging by the look Narcissa was giving him, he would not be allowed to leave until she said.

Noticing the boy's discomfort, Narcissa tilted her head to the side and fixed him with a curious gaze.

"Tell me, Vincent. Is Zabini a threat to this organization?"

In all honesty, Crabbe did not know much about Blaise Zabini, despite the fact that he had been around Slytherin for quite some time. He had only recently passed Draco's radar and after the blonde had recruited the sixth year for some odd job, he had kept him for the mere purpose of having more numbers to his rank. Zabini was more of a loner, which posed a threat in and of itself, but to say he was a threat to Draco or Narcissa was too much for his brain to contemplate. Zabini's mother, a widow of seven husbands, was an issue all of her own. No one on earth, including the Death Eaters she occasionally fraternized with, knew the real cause for death of her husbands, just that each one had left behind a sizable fortune for her and her recluse son. The entire Zabini family was a mystery and Crabbe had no interest in delving further into it that necessary.

"I couldn't tell you, marm," he mumbled. "He mostly keeps to himself."

Narcissa frowned, her eyes catching a glance from Montague.

A boy with no apparent standing and an apparently unstable, albeit affluent, mother was dangerous.

What was Draco's interest in him?

* * *

Ginny had been in the Black House for a couple of weeks and already she was growing restless. Ever since her arrival she had been unable to return to the Ministry, where she hoped to run into Draco Malfoy again. She did not know what her fascination with the young man was all of a sudden. Her feelings for him had not changed. In fact, she felt as if the animosity between them had increased between their meetings. The longer she thought of him, the more things she found about him that she detested. He was not a good person and she only hoped that his feelings for her were just as horrid, otherwise they both would find themselves in the terrible position of having to actually like each other and that could not possibly be acceptable at the point in the war. In fact, it had to be very unhealthy.

Therefore, she spent most of her time getting caught up to speed to what had happened to Harry, Ron and Hermione. Most of what they told her was interesting, but after a while, she grew tired of hearing of it and just began wandering the halls, poking through desks and staring at the family tree on the wall.

Currently, Ron was off with Remus to gather some information from a reluctant source that Ron was unable to name for fear of not being able to go. Harry was downstairs in another conference with Dumbledore, so Ginny and Hermione were up in their room.

Hermione had noticed Ginny's restiveness for a while, but had kept her mouth shut for the sake of her brother, who she knew would read too much into it and then cause Ginny to hide away from everyone. However now seemed like the perfect time to bring it up.

"Are you okay, Ginny?" she asked casually after the girl sighed for the fifth time in a row. Ginny looked up from her reading and frowned.

"I'm fine, why?"

"You seem a bit off."

Ginny shrugged.

"I'm fine, Hermione," she said. "Restless, I suppose."

"Why are you restless?"

Ginny set down her book to focus her attention on Hermione, who was giving her an expectant look. For the past couple of days she had contemplated telling her friend about her run in with Draco Malfoy, but had been reluctant to do so for fear of Hermione telling Ron, or worse, Harry. But the weight of keeping it to herself was beginning to crush her slowly and she would eventually have to trust someone to tell.

"I… I've just been thinking, Hermione," she muttered.

"About what?" Hermione asked quietly, setting down her own book. It was easy to tell that something was bothering the girl. Hermione suspected that it had to do with Harry.

"Well… you remember how I was helping my dad at the Ministry, right?" Hermione nodded. Ginny had already told her about this. "Yes, well… I ran into Malfoy a couple times while I was there."

"Draco Malfoy?"

Ginny nodded, taking a deep breath.

"It was a very… unusual experience," she told her friend and Hermione nodded.

This certainly was not about Harry. Taking a moment to look over Ginny, she found no blush or clenched fist to indicate that Ginny's meetings with Malfoy had been more than just run ins. In fact, it seemed as if the whole memory of it was making Ginny feel sick, if anything else.

"What happened?" Hermione asked quickly, moving over to sit beside her. "Did he do something to you?"

Ginny's eyes widened at Hermione's meaning and she quickly shook her head.

"No, no, nothing like that, Hermione. It was just… weird," she said honestly. "I've never actually been alone with him before and after what he did to that man…" Ginny looked down at her hands and shrugged. "I've just never been around someone who's _publically_ killed someone."

Hermione frowned, her mind flashing to the face of another young man she knew who had done something similar several months ago.

"What about Ron?" she pointed out softly and Ginny's body became stiff. Her eyes moved to Hermione and could see something dark cross over her friend's face.

"Ron doesn't talk about it, though," she replied. When Hermione's face went pale, Ginny frowned. "Or does he?"

The brown haired girl shook her head quickly and pulled her legs up to her chest, holding them close to her and resting her chin on her knees. Her eyes glazed over momentarily and it seemed as if she had completely escaped reality before tears came to her eyes and she blinked.

"No he doesn't," she muttered. "He avoids talking about it, actually."

It became painfully obvious that this certain conversation was becoming hard for Hermione and Ginny quickly tried to change it back to the original one without seeming to eager.

"Malfoy didn't talk about it much, but he did talk," she said and Hermione jolted a little before responding.

"Were you scared?" she asked curiously.

"Why would I be scared of Malfoy?"

"Well, you did say that you were alone with him… wait, what were you doing alone with him in the first place?" Hermione asked after realizing what Ginny had actually said. "I thought you were with your father the whole time."

Ginny bit her lip and shrugged.

"I was filing down in the Archives when he just showed up out of the blue like a bloody Snitch," she replied. "Startled me at first, but for the most part we just said nasty things to each other."

Hermione frowned.

"He ran into you the first time in the Archives? Where were you the second time you ran into him?"

Ginny tilted her head a little.

"The Archives again… why?"

Raising an eyebrow, Hermione sat back and shook her head.

"Running into you once in one of the most remote, let alone boring places in the Ministry of Magic is a coincidence. To run into a second time in the exact same place screams of something else Ginny," she pointed out, concern starting to fill her eyes. "You don't think he's stalking you, do you?"

Ginny's eyes widened in horror.

"Why would Malfoy want to stalk me? He _hates_ me."

Hermione's lip twitched at the statement.

"True, but why else would he _accidentally _bump into you at the Archives _twice_ if he hated you?"

Ginny looked ready to protest Hermione's suggestion, but Harry burst through the door with Ron on his heels, but boys grinning from ear to ear. Ron grabbed Hermione's hand and pulled her up on her feet, twirling her around happily. Hermione could not help but laugh with him while shooting Harry and Ginny confused looks.

"Ron! What is going on?" she squealed when he finally let her go. "Is everything okay?"

Harry laughed and motioned behind him.

"We are going to Diagon Alley," he told them and Hermione looked concerned.

"Harry, we've gone to Diagon Alley before," she pointed out slowly. "What makes this any different?"

Ron leaned into her ear.

"We're going to be going _alone_," he said and Ginny's eyes widened.

"Really?!" she gasped, looking over at Harry for clarification. "Are you serious?"

Harry nodded excitedly.

"Remus believes that we deserve a chance to do something by ourselves before we return to Hogwarts," he said. "They're allowing us this."

Hermione glanced over at Ginny and then smiled, ushering Ron and Harry out of the room.

"Then let us get ready and we'll be down in a minute."

Ron snorted.

"You look great, Hermione. What more do you have to do?" he asked and Hermione blushed as she pushed them out the door.

"Everything else," she muttered, leaning against the door and taking a deep breath, unable to get rid of the smile on her face. Ginny grinned, poking Hermione in the shoulder.

"You are so in love with my brother," she giggled.

"Ginny!"

"I want three nieces."

"Ginny! Stop it!"

* * *

The moment they reached Diagon Alley, the foursome headed straight for Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, all smiles as they entered the building. Despite the threats, the store was filled with laughing customers who roamed the aisles, tentatively trying certain potions while others watched at safe distances with knowing smiles on their faces.

"Fred! George!" Ron called, leading the way to where his brothers stood in the corner, conversing quietly. Upon realizing that they were not in a jovial mood, he frowned. "Something wrong?"

Fred glanced over at his brother and snorted, pointing to the door.

"Bloody prick," he started.

"Left ten minutes ago," George added.

"Went straight for the good stuff."

"How would he know?"

"Where did he come from?"

The four exchanged worried glances.

"What?"

George snorted.

"Malfoy…"

"Draco Malfoy?"

Fred frowned.

"Why is it that everyone needs clarification when someone says Malfoy?" he asked incredulously, his eyes still dark from the previous situation. "If it were his father, I would have shoved my wand up his-"

"What was he doing here?" Hermione interrupted, shooting the twins a disapproving look. George glanced over at Ron, gave his twin a wink and pointed to the exit.

"The arse came in, grabbed some of the new merchandise and scampered off like a little pus-"

"We get it," Hermione snapped, turning on her heel and stalking off towards the potions section. Ron watched her go with a frown on his face but did not follow. Instead he stayed behind while Harry prodded the twins for more information.

"Why didn't you just kick him out?" he asked and they snorted.

"Dear Harry," George said.

"We can't deny customer access."

"But he's a bloody Death Eater," Harry grumbled, attracting Ginny's attention.

"He doesn't have a Mark," she and the twins said at the same time. Her eyes widened when their eyes turned to her and she bit her lip.

"We checked his arm," George muttered, watching Ginny carefully. "How the hell do you know he doesn't have a Mark?"

Ginny shifted and glanced over to the stairs leading to the upper levels of store.

"I guessed… you wouldn't have let him in if he had a Mark, right?"

George shook his head, ignoring the obvious embarrassment on his sister's face.

"Like hell we would have," he growled. "The little prick-"

"Oy!" Ron barked suddenly, moving past the group towards where Hermione was standing with Cormac McLaggen, the annoying boy who Ron thought he would never have to see again. The tall former Gryffindor was standing very close to Hermione and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear while Hermione blushed furiously and seemed to be trying to tell McLaggen something. "What the hell?"

The three Weasleys and Harry exchanged amused glances while Ron pushed his way between McLaggen and Hermione, who looked relieved. She hurriedly began tugging on Ron's arm, trying to pull him away from an equally eager-to-fight McLaggen. However, when McLaggen shoved Ron hard into a shelf, things instantly became hostile and even Fred and George decided to get involved before something destructive happened to their precious shop. Ginny would have followed them when something outside the store window caught her attention. She saw a tall blond move past the window quickly and she could not help but go and look out to see Draco Malfoy head down the street towards Nocturn Alley. Biting her lip, she glanced over her shoulder and then hurried out the door, walking down the street in search of him.

What possessed her to break away from the others and follow this dangerous young man, Ginny did not know, but she could not help it.

When she reached Nocturn Alley, she lost track of him and bit her lip, pulling her hair up into a ponytail and waving her wand over her head to change the color.

She had no interest in drawing more attention to herself.

Moving through the quiet, dank streets of Nocturn Alley, a strange female noise caught her attention and she wandered into a tight pathway leading to a gated courtyard. She reached the gate and looked through to the lit area where her saw something she wished she had not stumbled upon.

On the far side of the yard, five men were standing in a circle around someone crumpled on the floor. Three of the men Ginny recognized and the other two she did not. She made sure she was still in the darkness of the covered pathway before she moved a little closer to the gate to get a better look. There was a woman on the floor and she looked familiar.

"Oh no," she gasped, realizing that it was the woman from the Archives. What was she doing there?

"Please stop," the woman begged from her spot on the floor. "Please…"

"Where are those files, Olivia?" one of the men demanded.

"I don't know… I don't… please, I have a son…"

Another of the men snorted.

"Your son Andrew is adjusting well to the new Death Eater life," he said and she released a sob.

"No," she cried. "Please, stop!"

Ginny bit her lip, but could not pull herself away from what was happening. She tried to recognize the faces of those present, but as the seconds dragged on, it became harder for her to remain still.

"_CRUCIO!"_

The woman shrieked and Ginny closed her eyes, pressing herself against the wall. If she ran, they would hear her and more than likely find her before she returned to Diagon Alley. Her best option was to remain and remain silent.

"Oh God, please!" the woman sobbed. "I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE!"

"The Minister isn't worth saving," the man in charge snarled. "Tell us!"

"Please-"

"_CRUCIO!"_

"They're kept in the Department of Mysteries!" she screamed, desperate to be rid of the torment. "Please!"

Ginny's grip on the old gate became so tight that her hands were beginning to bleed. The men exchanged glances before one of them raised their wand at the woman on the ground.

"Thank you, Olivia," the man whispered before uttering a curse Ginny had never heard of, but would never forget.

It was as if the woman had imploded and Ginny nearly screamed when a hand slammed down on her mouth, pulling her into someone's chest so that she no longer saw what was happening.

"Don't look, Weasley," Draco growled under his breath, holding her close to him as he watched the men disapparate. Ginny was trembling against him and she was beginning to mumble into his shirt. Something deep inside Draco was telling him to shove her away, but he knew that if he did, she would start attracting more attention than he needed.

Or perhaps it was too late for that.

"Oh my GOD!" Ginny screamed into his shirt.

Two of the men who had not yet disappeared suddenly caught sight of Draco and Ginny standing in the corner and Draco made a quick decision. Either he would drop Ginny and disapparate, leaving her to the discretion of the Death Eaters, or he would disapparate with her.

"Bloody hell," he growled before disapparating quickly with Ginny in his arms. They reappeared right behind the twins' store and Draco slowly let Ginny sink to the ground, watching her carefully as she continued to tremble.

"I hope you realize that you've killed us both," he growled before noticing her black hair. "Perhaps you haven't…"

Ginny closed her eyes and placed her hands over her head, rocking back and forth to calm herself.

"That woman," she gasped. "She's… she's dead…"

"Weasley, you need to calm down-"

"SHE'S DEAD!" Ginny screamed suddenly, scrambling to her feet. "She's…" At that moment, Draco recognized the look on her face and backed up just as she fell to her knees and retched on the ground. Draco wrinkled his nose and looked away, trying to ignore the sounds she was making. When she stopped, he looked down and groaned upon seeing some of her stomach contents on his shoes. For a moment he was threatened to curse her for what she had done, but he knew he had to move quickly to avoid any suspicion of what had just happened. He squatted in front of her and grabbed her shoulders.

"Weasley, you need to focus," he growled. When she shook her head and kept her eyes squeezed shut, he shook her a little hard. "Weasley!" Ginny's eyes popped open and she stared right at him through frightened brown eyes. "Are you competent?" he asked and she released a strange squeak.

"I… that woman-"

"Damn it, Weasley," he snarled. "Forget about that bloody woman and _focus_."

Ginny took a deep breath and nodded mutely, tears still running down her face. He could tell she was still hysterical but paying attention.

"Good," he muttered. "Because you're going to have to improvise and you better keep up."

He pulled out his wand and pointed to her and she released a scream, covering up her face as he hissed something incomprehensible. When she felt no pain, she peeked between her fingers to see Draco watching her impatiently as her hair fell over her, restored to its original flaming red color. She yelped when his grip on one of her arms tightened as he yanked her up to her feet and dragged her down the back alley towards the front of the twins' store. Upon see no one outside, he glanced over to Ginny to check if she was still with him and then he pulled her through the front door, changing his face to that of anger.

"OY!" he yelled out, catching sight of Harry Potter standing around with the Weasley boys. "I think this is yours."

Without any prompting, he shoved Ginny fiercely away from him into Ron, causing them both to stumble back into some lone shelves and knocking them all over.

"The next time you want to spy on me, why don't you do it yourself, you little bastard," Draco shouted at Harry, eyes blazing. "Instead of asking that little wench to follow me around like a bloody puppy."

Ginny's brain went into overdrive and she glared at Draco.

"I wasn't following you!" she screamed, trying to get off of the floor. She wasn't even aware of the fact that they were pretending. Actual rage was beginning to fill her at what had just happened. "You can't touch me like that you dumb prick!"

"I wouldn't have to if you and your bloody boyfriend left me the hell alone," Draco growled threateningly, pointing his wand at her for emphasis.

"Drop it, Malfoy!!" Fred and George snarled, pulling out their wands. Hermione and Harry did the same while Ron helped his sister to her feet. Ginny's eyes were as wide as saucers as she stumbled around, still a little dazed at what had just happened. Realizing just how many wands were on him, Draco tucked his wand carefully back into his trousers and he pointed to Harry.

"Watch your pets, Potter," he hissed, his eyes flickering quickly to Ginny. "It'd be a shame to have to put one of them down because it can't do what it's told."

Before they could retort, Draco disappeared out the door and disapparated quickly after.

"Ginny, what-"

"Ron, let go of me!" Ginny snapped angrily, yanking away from her brother and stumbling back onto her rear, releasing a gasp of pain when she felt her ankle twist. Her brothers and friends reached down to help her, but she shoved their hands away and struggled back to her feet. "Leave me alone!"

"Ginny-"

"I said leave me be!" she yelled, scrambling out of the main store area to the back offices. She ran into Fred's office and began rummaging through his cabinets until she found a portkey. Squeezing her eyes shut, she ignored the pounding on the door while she counted to three and awaited the tug on her naval. Appearing in front of the Burrow, she collapsed to the ground and held her head for a moment, resting it down in the dirt. The image of that dead woman flashed in front of her as clear as if it were happening before her now. She had not been angry at her brothers or Harry or Hermione. She had been angry at herself for not doing more than break down mentally after seeing the woman die. Draco had been able to recover quickly and not only get her out of the horrible situation but come up with a way to create a reason for them being together.

"Ginny! GINNY!"

Apparently her brothers had figured she would be here and told her mother as well.

"GINNY!"

Taking a deep inhale, she got to her feet and took three steps before her stomach churned, tilted to the side and heaved into some bushes.

This was ridiculous.

How was Draco Malfoy able to keep it all together while she became such a blubbering, sick mess?

Another image of the dead woman appeared in her mind and she shrieked, grabbing her head and rocking back and forth again.

"Pull yourself together!" she screamed.

"Ginny, where are you?!"

"Ugh!" Ginny got to her feet and held her arms over her stomach, taking quick breaths to settle herself. She then walked off towards the Burrow, trying desperately to regain a sound mind.

What had she gotten herself into?

And why was she so angry?

**A/N: Hope you liked it!**

**a-hole-lot-of-nothing:** I'm glad you like the story so far. Hopefully I don't disappoint.

**NoReins94:** I hope the story feels different from Drift and Life After Death and Everything Else. I love the couple, but I don't want them to make them work the same way they worked in the other story. Thanks for reading so far!


	6. Under the Rug

_The beginning of thought is in disagreement; not only with others but also with ourselves._ **–Eric Hoffer**

* * *

For one week Ginny remained silent and inaccessible. She rarely came out of her room and when she did, she artfully avoided any conversation dealing with what had happened at Diagon Alley. Others tried to approach her, including her mother, but she gave them all the same irritable response she offered everyone else, promoting some speculation of whether or not Draco Malfoy had done something more to her than just catch her spying.

Eventually, they stopped prodding the issue, allowing Ginny to return to normal, but she could still tell that it was bothering them. Hermione told them that she tossed and turned in her sleep, muttering horrible things under her breath.

"Ginny, please, we're just worried about you," Harry called, following her up the stairs. "Ginny-"

"There's nothing to talk about, Harry," she replied testily. "I'm fine."

"Hermione said you've been having nightmares," Ron butted in and Ginny shot a nasty look at her bushy haired friend.

"Well Hermione can kiss my-"

"Ginny!" Hermione gasped, appalled by what the redhead was about to say. She moved to stand by Ron. "That's not fair. If Malfoy did something-"

"Why is everyone so concerned about Malfoy?" Ginny snapped. "It's not like he did anything to me?"

"He shoved you around and practically threatened us!" Ron responded angrily. "Malfoy-"

"The only thing Draco Malfoy is guilty of is being the most insensitive, pig-headed wanker in England and I wish him the worst possible death that would befit a sniveling cockroach like himself," she hissed before disappearing up the stairs and slamming the door behind her. She screamed in frustration and then buried her face in a pillow, wanting nothing more than to disappear all together.

Draco Malfoy was going to be the end of her.

Up in Ron's room, Hermione, Harry and Ron gathered, concern brewing once again among them.

"What do you think actually happened?" Harry asked skeptically. "She's been acting awfully upset lately."

"She won't talk about it," Hermione muttered. "And I'm beginning to suspect that Malfoy might have done more than just shove her around. You don't think perhaps he-"

"Don't say something even hint at it, Hermione," Ron snapped, eyes darkening at the suggestion. "It's hard enough sitting here knowing she went off to snoop by herself. But he did something to her… I'll kill him."

Hermione bit her lip at the statement and she reached out to take his hand, squeezing it comfortingly.

"She's just going through a hard time," she whispered softly. "She's been alone for a while and was probably just trying to show her worth to us by finding something out about Malfoy."

Ron's eyes moved down to their clasped hands and his ears began to tinge, but he did not pull away. Instead he shook his head and sighed.

"I want to know what's wrong."

Harry glanced between the two and frowned.

"What do you think Malfoy was up to?"

"What do you mean, Harry?" Hermione asked.

"Well… what was he doing in Diagon Alley in the first place?"

Hermione rolled her eyes and stood up, effectively removing her hand away from Ron, who immediately felt the loss of her.

"Oh come on, Harry," she snapped. "Just because he got mad at Ginny for following him does not mean anything. He's not a Death Eater, you heard the twins. He has no Mark and as much as I hate to admit it, I think he has no interest in becoming a Death Eater. Harry, you must stop badgering him about it or something worse could happen to Ginny or us."

"Oh come off it, Hermione," Ron retorted. "His bloody father is a Death Eater and his mother might as well have a sign around her neck screaming Death Eater."

"That doesn't make him one, Ron."

"Why are you defending him?" Harry demanded and Hermione's eyes widened.

"_Defending_ him?" she repeated incredulously. "Defending him? I am not _defending_ him, Harry. I am merely pointing out that calling Malfoy a Death Eater is not the smartest move right now. We must remain focused on finishing this war and if Draco Malfoy will help us in that goal then so be it." She moved over to the door and opened it. "Draco Malfoy may very well become an important ally and so I suggest you both move past your hatred of him and accept that. The Order obviously has."

She left the boys thoroughly chastised and headed down to Ginny's room. Upon entering, she quietly made her way to her bed and sat down, observing Ginny lying there with her head in a pillow.

"Ginny, may I ask you a question?"

"You just did," came the muffled reply and Hermione sighed.

"Ginny, please," she begged urgently. "I want to know."

"What? What is it?"

Hermione bit her lip.

"Ginny, what happened?"

Ginny pulled her head out of the pillow and looked over at her friend and her heart ached at the concern in Hermione's eyes.

"I… I saw…" Before she could finish her statement, she was stopped by the prospect of Draco finding out. Would he hurt her if she told someone about what she had seen? Would it harm him if she told someone? For reasons beyond her understanding, she clamped her mouth shut for a moment and racked her brain for a better reply. Closing her eyes, she lay back down and placed a hand on her forehead. "Nothing, Hermione… nothing happened…"

"And Malfoy?"

A feeling of hatred erupted once more at the thought of Draco and how calm he had been after the Archive lady's death and how completely hysterical she had become. She felt inadequate compared to him. She should have been better than the horrible Malfoy who controlled every aspect of his behavior. She should have been better than him.

Tears rolled down her face as her fingers curled up into tight pale fists.

"I didn't see anything," she managed to say through clenched teeth.

"Ginny-"

"I didn't see anything," Ginny snapped again. "He just caught me following him that's all…"

Hermione frowned at Ginny's unstable behavior.

"Malfoy's never gotten that angry when we've followed him before," she said. "Why was he so-"

"I didn't see anything," Ginny mumbled miserably. "Please just leave it alone."

Hermione stared at the redhead for a moment before sighing.

"Fine, Ginny… I just hope it's worth it," she whispered and Ginny frowned.

"What's worth it?"

"Protecting Malfoy… God knows he doesn't deserve it."

* * *

Two weeks before they were to return to Hogwarts and Ginny had returned to normal. There was no more mention of the Diagon Alley incident and but she did continue having nightmares, though Hermione kept that to herself.

"Morning Harry," Ginny greeted when the boy came down one morning. She, Ron and Hermione were already eating breakfast and he sat down between she and Ron, offering a smile.

"Morning, Ginny," he replied, grabbing a piece of toast and taking a bite. "How are you?"

"Fine, I suppose," she answered and then turned to Hermione. "Did you get the paper this morning?"

Hermione nodded, pulling it out.

"It's not very interesting. Just some nonsense about Harry."

Ron snorted, reading a letter sent to him by his father.

"You want to talk about nonsense? Listen to this," he prompted. "_The body of Olivia Berges was found in the Thames this morning along with a message saying that Draco Malfoy killed her. Since then, there have been five attempts on his life by locals in his neighborhood. Due to the recent threats, he and his mother have been assigned a bodyguard until Malfoy returns to Hogwarts…_ What a load of bullocks."

"Ron," Hermione snapped, grabbing the letter out of his hand with a critical look. "I thought this was supposed to be for your mother."

Ron shrugged.

"Mum left it lying about and I think the more important thing is that someone is trying to kill Malfoy," he stressed and Ginny frowned.

"Dad said locals, Ron," she pointed out. "It means that regular people are trying to kill Malfoy for something he didn't do."

Hermione turned to Ginny, a strange look on her face.

"How would you know he didn't do it?"

Ginny's eyes widened and she shifted a little in her chair.

"The Ministry of Magic wouldn't protect him if they thought he was guilty… besides, I was following him when that lady was killed. I think I'd remember seeing that woman die if I saw it," she retorted. She would have said more but a knock at the window caught their attention. Hermione released a gasp and she rushed to the window, opening it quickly to hurry the birds in.

"Those are Hogwarts owls," she breathed, taking the letter addressed to her swiftly. Harry and Ron exchanged amused glances while she opened her letter excitedly. "_Dear Ms. Granger, I am pleased to announce that you have been selected as Head Girl…_" Hermione squealed with glee and looked up with a huge grin on her face. "Head Girl!"

Ron and Harry smiled and hugged her tightly.

"Congratulations, Hermione!" Ginny said, giving her friend a hug. "That's wonderful!"

Harry grabbed his letter and gave Ron his as well.

"I wonder who the Head Boy is," Harry said, glancing over at Ron while he said it. Ron's ears tinged and Hermione tensed a little, reading through the rest of the letter.

"It doesn't say," she said.

"It's not any of us," Ron muttered, reading his letter. "It's just a notice for the books I need."

"Me too," Harry added. "And I've… been made Quiddich Captain… again…"

As the three began talking excitedly about their letters, Ginny caught sight of someone outside.

"Bill?"

Standing up from the table, she opened the back door and looked out to see her brother coming up the backyard with something in his arms.

"Bill? What are you doing here?" she asked when he reached the door. His two year old daughter, River, was in his arms, sleeping and clinging to his shirt. "Bill, what's going on? Where's Fleur?"

"Fleur's at home with Finneas," he replied, waving to the other three. "Harry. Hermione."

Ron frowned.

"Something wrong, Bill?"

His brother handed him River and sat down at the table, running a hand through his hair.

"I'm actually here to see Dad," he admitted. "Where is he?"

Ginny frowned, sitting down beside him.

"He's not here right now, why? Is something wrong? Is it about Malfoy?" she asked eagerly and to everyone's surprise, Bill nodded.

"Yeah it is, actually."

Harry sat down as well, his interest piqued.

"What happened?"

Bill looked at them uncertainly before he started speaking.

"He killed someone again-"

"WHAT?!" Harry bellowed, standing up. "Has he been-"

"No, Harry," Bill cut in. "He's been detained, but he has not been arrested, nor will he be."

Ron's eyes darkened.

"Why the bloody hell not?" he demanded angrily. "He-"

"It was right in front of me, Ron," Bill snarled and they all gasped.

"What?" Ginny breathed. "What happened?"

Bill's eyes moved to his daughter and he sighed.

"I was… I was _overseeing_ the Auror exchange at his house when some mother… Muggleborn woman from the Ministry… she ran onto the property screaming and waving her wand around like a banshee." He leaned back in his chair as his eyes glazed over. "Malfoy was further up the path than everyone else and we were waiting for the new Aurors. She… she attacked Narcissa Malfoy first. Knocked the woman out quickly before moving on to her son. I think she was really after him and she nearly killed him, too." Ginny bit her lip at this information but said nothing. "I've never seen such a distraught woman in my life."

"What happened, Bill?" Ron pressed, eager to learn more. His brother shrugged.

"There's nothing else to tell. The woman literally tried to kill the boy," he said. "Kept firing the killing curse at him and after a while he fired back and didn't miss."

Hermione's eyes fell upon Ginny, who had grown pale at this news and was biting her nails without realizing it. It was obvious that this situation was putting the young woman on edge and Hermione wondered why, with Ginny's adamant claims to not care in the least about Malfoy, that she seemed so worried now about what was going on.

"What's going to happen to him?" Harry asked.

Bill snorted.

"Like I said before. I saw what happened and I told Moody that it was purely self-defense. I probably would have killed her if it had happened to me."

"Why did she attack him in the first place?" Hermione asked, drawing Ginny's attention.

The eldest Weasley shook his head and stood up, moving to take his daughter back.

"I can think of a million reasons why someone would try to kill Draco Malfoy," he said quietly, holding River close to him. "Unfortunately it doesn't matter because he's going to get away with it… again… He didn't even seem bothered by it. Took his mum to the hospital joking about it, the prick." Sighing, he motioned to the kitchen door. "I'm going to set River down."

They all nodded and waited until he left before turning to each other.

"Think he's innocent now, Hermione?" Harry asked harshly and Ginny visibly twitched. Hermione bit her lip and shook her head.

"I never said he was innocent, Harry," she replied, slightly hurt by his accusation. "That woman attacked him and he defended himself. There's nothing more to say about it."

Harry released a growl of frustration.

"How the hell does he do it?" he snapped. "He kills two people and gets away with it!"

"It's not fair," Ginny muttered and they all looked at her.

"You're damn right it's not fair," Ron agreed. "He should be put in Azkaban."

Ginny blinked for a moment and then shook her head, standing up.

"No, I meant it's not fair that he can just brush it off like it didn't happen," she clarified. "I mean how…"

When she did not continue, they frowned and Hermione reached over to touch her shoulder.

"Ginny, are you alright?"

The young redhead pointed to the door, her eyes clouding over.

"It's gotten dark outside," she whispered, getting up and moving to the door. She looked outside and bit her lip. "Why is it so dark?"

"Harry!" Hermione cried just as the young man dropped to his knees, clutching his head and gasping in pain. She fell beside him and shook him, trying to pull him back into reality. "Harry, look at me! What is it?!"

Ron and Ginny tried to help, but Harry was becoming far too gone for them to reach.

"HARRY!"

* * *

Draco was becoming impatient once again.

He no longer found himself caring about the things of reality. The woman he had killed and the mother she had attacked barely crossed his radar and while the thrill of killing that woman had been much greater than when he had dispatched Cathers, but his mind seemed to wander back to the incident at Diagon Alley and he could not help but wonder what had happened to Ginny Weasley after he had left.

Unlike their first two meetings over the summer, this one had shown him a completely different side of her that he had not seen, nor did he wish to see again. Apparently, in spite of Harry Potter's familiarity with death, those around him were not so accustomed to it and Ginny was no exception. Her reaction to what had to that Archives woman was a demonstration of just how innocent she was, despite what her father had done to her in her first year.

It had been a long time since he had seen such a strong response to death and it was strangely relieving. He was so bored of listening to plans of death and complaints from ungrateful acquaintances. To have someone a little bit more… unpredictable… even if she was a bit slow to respond.

He had to admit that there was a little concern for her sanity after he had disapparated. His plan had been quite harsh on her and he later realized that she might not have been emotionally stable when he had demeaned her publically.

An error he would never acknowledge to anyone but himself.

"What are you thinking about?"

Draco closed his eyes and gave a long suffering sigh.

Pansy Parkinson had a wonderful body, was perfect to shack up with and skilled in the Dark Arts, with the aggression and cut-throat ambition that was worthy of the name Slytherin. But past that, she was a mild annoyance. She wanted power and nothing more and that was the main reason she latched herself to Draco like a pampered whore. He kept her around merely for the purpose of fulfilling his physical needs. She provided little in the department of intelligible conversations and was probably the main reason for his sudden enthrallment with Ginny Weasley.

He felt her sit down beside him on the couch and lean into his ear, brushing her lips against his skin.

"I heard about the woman you killed," she whispered. Her hands moved down to the hem of his shirt and she began to tug as she slipped into his lap. "It was arousing, I must admit."

"Which part?" Draco asked coolly and she grinned.

"The part where you didn't seem to care," she replied, kissing him lightly on the lips. When his hands failed to respond to her teasing, she frowned and pulled away, annoyance already beginning to fill her eyes. "Is something wrong?"

Draco's eyes clouded over and he pushed her off of him.

"I'm not in the mood."

Pansy's eyes widened at the statement and she leaned back on the couch, crossing her arms over her chest as she watched him stand up. She observed the way he moved slowly across the floor and could not help but notice that his eyes were not focused on anything in particular.

"Am I missing something, or are you feeling remorse for what happened to that woman?" she asked dubiously and he turned to face her.

"You think I feel remorse?" he countered icily and a cold feeling shot up her spine. "Or are you just upset that we're not shagging?"

She shifted on his couch, crossing her bare legs and puffing her well developed chest out a little.

"I happen to like shagging," she responded, puckering her lips alluringly. He smirked at this and sat down on his bed.

"I have no interest in shagging tonight," he told her, pulling off his shoes as he spoke. "I have a busy day tomorrow morning."

Pansy looked him over lustfully and shrugged.

"We don't have to go all night then."

He raised an eyebrow and gave her a pointed look. He stood up and pulled off his shirt, causing her to sit up erect while her body reacted positively to his.

"If we're going to have a go," he said. "It's going to be all night."

Pansy got up and walked over to him, gently running her hand over his chest before she looked down to his pants. Biting her lip, she got down on her knees and began unzipping his trousers, her smile widening as she did.

"Well then, let's go all night."

* * *

Ginny sat in the waiting room, staring at her shoes sullenly as they waited for the Healer to return. She was anxious about Harry's condition. She knew he was in a lot of pain and it was hard for her to imagine just how hard it must have been for him to have Voldemort try to penetrate his mind.

There were several events in her past that she would chose to forget and certain aspects of her relationship with Harry was one of them.

From the very beginning, it had been completely disastrous. The terrifying crush she had had for him for the first three years had been hard on her, especially when he adamantly refused her. After managing somehow to crawl out of several embarrassing situations, she had gone on to find bad romances in Michael Corner, the prick who ran off with the equally upsetting Cho Chang, and Dean Thomas, who continued to try to pursue the relationship after they had broken up very early in her fifth year. Her return to Harry had been passionate, beautiful and short-lived due to his unwillingness to put her in more danger than he believed she was able to handle and she had not refused the break up.

Now she was sitting in a waiting room, contemplating her place in his life while still smarting from the embarrassment of having fallen to pieces in front of Draco Malfoy.

It seemed odd that her life would turn out this way.

Still in love with a boy who would never, could never lover back and entering into a dementedly disturbing association with a boy she was obligated to hate.

Something was wrong with her.

Closing her eyes, she curled up in the chair and tried desperately not to think about it anymore.

Thinking about Draco Malfoy was making her sick and she had not slept in weeks. She wanted to sleep again without being afraid to see the images of that dead woman. She wanted to feel safe again.

She wanted to forget this summer ever happened.

* * *

**Wonders of wonders...**


	7. All Aboard

_Trust is a dependency issue_. -Edwin H. Friedman

* * *

The atmosphere on Platform 9 ¾ was extremely tense the day the students awaited to board the Hogwarts Express. Many had heard about Malfoy's escapades of the summer and they were watching him cautiously as they made their way to the train. Security on the Platform was high as well, especially after Harry arrived with Ron, Hermione and Ginny. They were saying their goodbyes and Mrs. Weasley seemed particularly worried about Ginny.

"I'm fine, mum," she insisted. "I just need to get back to Hogwarts. I think the stress of the unknown is getting to me. At least I'll have something to keep my mind busy there."

"Ugh, there's Malfoy," Harry growled and the youngest Weasley immediately started looking around for Draco Malfoy and caught sight of him on the other end of the platform surrounded by twenty other Slytherins including Zabini, Goyle, Crabbe, Parkinson and Warrington. He seemed unusually happy about being there and was talking quite loudly as the group moved towards the train. "I still can't believe he's gotten away with murder… twice…"

Hermione placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Come on, Harry," she advised, motioning to the train. "Let's not let Malfoy dictate our mood for this trip. I'd rather like to start this year off a little better than last year."

Ron wrapped his arm around Hermione's shoulder and gave her a squeeze.

"We'll do our best, Hermione, but if he shows up-"

"You'll have no choice but to land yourself in detention before we even make it to Hogsmeade, yes I know," she finished disapprovingly. Huffing, she shrugged him off and hurried onto the train with Ginny following close behind.

"Bye mum!" she and Ron called as the Hogwarts Express began to move out of Kings Cross. They all managed to find an empty compartment and piled in, maneuvering around to put their stuff away before finally settling into their seats. Hermione immediately pulled out a book and curled up in the corner, oblivious to the miffed look Ron was giving her for having cloistered herself so quickly. Harry and Ginny exchanged glances but said nothing of it.

"I wonder where Neville and Luna are," Harry pondered as the city began to zoom by. "I didn't see them on the platform."

"I'm sure they're here somewhere," Ron muttered, glancing over at Hermione for the fifth time. "What are you reading?"

Surprised to be addressed, Hermione looked up and frowned.

"A book, Ron," she responded and he rolled his eyes.

"I'm not thick, Hermione. I can see that it's a book. What is it about?"

Ginny smiled as Hermione began explaining, in a very complex and irritated manner, about the muggle book she happened to be reading. Harry listened a little, but for the most part he just sat there and looked out the window, his eyes glazing over at certain points. Ginny could tell he was thinking deeply about something but he did not speak and she was not willing to question him.

"I'm going to go find Luna and Neville," Ginny announced after forty-five minutes had passed since they had left London. Harry nodded in acknowledgement, sighing a little as Ron and Hermione descended into an argument on whether or not the ideas in the book she was reading were even relevant to what was happening now.

Smiling, Ginny moved down the small hallway through each train car, thankful to be in an environment she was much more comfortable with. She peeked into each compartment, hoping to catch sight of her friends, but as she continued to move to the last few cars, she was beginning to lose some of that hope.

Unlike Hermione, Luna was easier to talk to for the simple reason that she did not respond. She just listened and offered a random comment intermittently, but she rarely gave a real response, allowing Ginny to figure out most of her problems by herself. Besides that, Ginny just really wanted to spend time with the unique and brilliant girl who caused Ginny to smile without reason.

Her efforts to find her friends were thwarted when a large chest and hard shoulder caused her to fall back and make contact with the floor.

"Watch it, Weasley," came a dangerous growl and she looked up to see Cole Warrington glaring down at her.

"Watch it yourself, Warrington," she snapped back, hurrying back to her feet before the large sixth year could do anything to her. "Get out of my way."

Warrington raised an eyebrow and looked back into the compartment from where he had come from.

"Look at this, mates. A Weasley who doesn't know her place."

* * *

Forty minutes since departure and Draco was already contemplating throwing five of the people in his compartment out the window. Many of them could not stop bringing up his run in with the crazy woman as well as Cathers, whom some of them had met several times before his death. Goyle and Zabini seemed to be the only ones in the compartment not interested in speaking and rightly so.

Draco had noticed earlier on the platform that all three of them were taking great care not to let anything touch their left arm and it did not take much to figure out why. Goyle, Draco knew, had been afraid to take the Mark for some time but he knew that in order to continue serving Draco without drawing suspicion onto himself, he would have to take the Mark. As for Zabini, Draco was certain that the boy's death-bringing mother had something to do with that.

Unlike Pansy, the Marks for the two were not unsettling. It was a natural order of things that he knew he would be pressured into taking sooner or later. Pansy probably did it to impress Narcissa, which was a dangerous motive in Draco's eyes.

Sighing, Draco brought himself back into the current conversation.

"We need to find ways for the other Houses to fear us Slytherins again," Warrington was saying. "Salazar would be tossing in his grave if he knew how this House was being treated."

"I'm certain he already is," Draco added calmly, drawing attention to himself. "Attacking other students, however, is not the best course of action if we are to remain intact."

"How else are we going to make them fear us? They have to know what we're all capable of," Warrington argued and Zabini snorted.

"I believe they're already aware of that," he said pointedly. "There's no need to use brute force when some of us are perfectly capable of proving ourselves better merely by being born."

Warrington's entire demeanor changed and his eyes darkened dangerously. The suggestion was more than the statement itself and it was no secret that Warrington's mother had been discovered a half-blood.

For Zabini to hint at it so frankly was bold and amusing, but Draco kept his face stoic. To show favoritism so early in the year with Warrington already aggressively protecting his position would not be wise.

Zabini would have to wait his turn.

"I believe that was uncalled for," Draco stated and Zabini's eyes flashed before he returned to looking out the window passively. At least the boy knew when to let things go. "This is the exactly what I am talking about." He took a deep breath and rested his head back, closing his eyes in boredom. "Do you know why the other Houses are continuing to thrive while Slytherin remains stuck in the muck of mediocrity?" When he was given no answer, he sighed and looked at them. "Because they remain united under a certain ill-conceived notion that banning together will solve all their problems and unfortunately they have succeeded in spreading that notion around while Slytherins plot against each other under rocks like rats in sewers."

Crabbe frowned.

"Are you suggesting we ban together and embrace that lovey-dovey crap?" he asked incredulously and Draco smirked, shaking his head.

"No… I'm suggesting we undermine that notion and show the people that Slytherins are not the only House that they should fear at night," he replied. "I'm suggesting we break down those bloody little ranks of theirs and show them all that beneath their courage, and loyalty and tolerance and wit that all they are, that all any of us are… are manipulative, selfish snakes they believe us to be."

Warrington grinned and stood up.

"I like it," he said, moving to the door. "I like it a lot."

"Where are you going?" Pansy asked and he shot her a look.

"Mind your own business, Parkinson. I've got business elsewhere," he snapped before stepping out into the hall. They all heard a thump and then someone fall to the ground. They saw Warrington look down and sneer.

"Watch it, Weasley," he growled and Draco immediately started paying attention. His eyes caught sight of Ginny as she got back to her feet and glared right back at him.

"Watch it yourself, Warrington," she snapped, squaring her shoulders in an attempt to get by him. "Get out of my way."

Warrington seemed amused by this demand and he looked back into the compartment.

"Look at this, mates. A Weasley who doesn't know her place."

Ginny looked inside as well and her eyes widened upon seeing Draco in there with several other Slytherins she did not want to mess with. Upon her hesitation, the others smirked and Pansy stood up, eyes fixed on the redhead.

"Looking for something, Weasley?" she hissed and Ginny's eyes hardened to a point that Draco thought she might actually attack the raven-headed vixen.

"Why don't you try screwing something with a pulse for a change, Parkinson," Ginny snapped irritably. "I'm pretty sure everyone in there is either dead or dying."

Despite the general dislike of the Weasley, none of them, besides Pansy, could help but admire the stupid courage it took to say those words when she was hopelessly outnumbered. A couple of them, including Crabbe, laughed nervously before Pansy silenced them with a blistering glare.

"Brave words for a silly little bitch that's outnumbered," she snarled, pulling out her wand. "And about to be-"

"Pansy, put your wand down," Draco said suddenly, drawing everyone's attention.

"But-"

"Firstly, Pansy, I'd hate to have to dock points so early in the year, and believe me, I'd have to," he warned, motioning to the Head Boy badge on his chest. "Secondly, if you had not noticed earlier, the I should tell you that there are approximately ten Aurors on this train and if you attack one of two women who happen to mean something to Saint Potter, then you'd be forced to leave the school and I'd hate to have to lose you to a pointless altercation with an irrelevant Gryffindor."

His warning was enough to make Pansy sit down and Ginny lift her chin.

"It looks like he's gotten you trained, Parkinson," she sneered. "Can you play dead or has he got you stuck at roll over?"

"_Bitch_!" Pansy pulled out her wand and pointed it at Ginny. "You're going to pay for that!"

"SIT DOWN!" Draco bellowed and every single person in the compartment sat down, leaving Ginny the only one still standing, though she was shaking a little at the force of Draco's command. They could all see how livid he was as he got to his feet and looked down at his fellow Slytherins. "Are any of you capable of doing _anything_ properly?" he asked in a barely controlled voice. When no one responded he took a deep breath and sat back down. "I suggest you keep moving, Weasley," he advised and she blinked a couple of times before hurrying off, not wanting to be there when something bad happened. Draco waited until she was gone before he looked over the remaining students. "I would appreciate it if no one did anything… _violent_ to that girl."

Warrington frowned, his suspicion rousing at the mere fact that everything Draco had done in the past ten minutes had been to avoid hurting the youngest Weasley.

"Why the hell do you care about what happens to Weasley?"

Draco's fingers curled into fists but he tempered himself and turned his emotionless eyes to the boy.

"I don't," he whispered. "King Weasel and that Mudblood can take care of themselves but that young one is precious to all of those bloody Gryffindors." Leaning back in his chair, he looked out the window. "This year is important. I don't need you dolts causing trouble by messing with Gryffindor's little princess." He snorted and smirked. "Besides, as much as I detest the Weasleys, I think we can all agree that Weasley's arse is nice to look at."

To his relief, he received a collective laugh from the males in the room while Pansy's face became dark and incensed. However, she knew her place and as long as the others had no problem with Ginny Weasley, she would have to abide by the ruling set out by Draco. The little Gryffindor was of limits. At least as far as violence was concerned. By no means did the Malfoy say she could not torture the girl using other means.

"Fine," she growled. "But when this whole plan of yours to break down the defenses of every bloody House in Hogwarts is over, I am going to _break_ that slag in half."

Draco smirked.

"That will certainly be a sight."

"You found them," Hermione announced with a smile as Ginny came back into the compartment with Luna and Neville close behind her.

"Hello Hermione," Luna greeted, sitting down beside Harry. "How are your parents?"

Hermione looked a little surprise at the question but she shrugged.

"Fine, thank you Luna," she replied sincerely. "How about you?"

Luna glanced over at Harry before responding.

"Dad's been busy with the Quibbler. We went to Bangladesh this summer to find the remains of the Palendor Gropest," she told them all and Ron snorted, trying to cover up a laugh. He and Harry exchanged glances while Neville and Ginny sat down as well.

"Where were you two?" Harry asked curiously and Neville pointed out the door.

"A compartment further down," he said before his ears tinged. "We were going to come down earlier but…" When he did not continue, Luna stepped in.

"We were stopped by a very large Slytherin boy," she told them surreally. "He was quite adamant that we return to our compartment."

Ginny frowned.

"Was it Warrington?" she asked and when they nodded, her eyes darkened and she slouched down in her seat. "Bastard."

"Ginny," Hermione scolded.

"No, Hermione, she's got a point," Ron cut in. "That Warrington bloke is a piece of work. Great for Quiddich, but not much else."

Hermione glanced over at him.

"Funny some say the same for you," she grumbled.

"How was your summer, Neville?" Harry asked before Ron could respond and effectively ruin the rest of their trip.

"Oh fine, I suppose," he answered and very quickly they all fell into a comfortable conversation while the world flew them by.

When they arrived at Hogsmeade, Ginny was nervously rubbing her hands together as they got off of the Express and headed for the carriages. The others were still talking but she was no longer listening. Her mind was racing with images of Draco, Pansy, Warrington, Harry and the dead woman in Nocturn Alley. She would occasionally shake a little but for the most part she managed to keep it to herself.

"God, I hate those," Harry muttered, motioning to the front of the carriage. Ron acknowledged them as well but Hermione just bit her lip and hurried into the carriage, not wanting to know about what was going on. Luna stopped and handed the two threstels a couple of sugar cubes. Ginny watched her for a moment and then approached her.

"Are… are they right there?" she asked hesitantly and Luna looked up at her.

"Of course they are, Ginny. You can see them just as clearly as I can," she replied before going into the carriage. Ginny's eyes widened at the statement and she turned to stare at the girl.

"I… how…" She hurried into the carriage and sat down next to the blonde. "How do you know?" she asked so only Luna could hear.

"You seemed distracted when you came for Neville and I. When we passed by Malfoy's compartment, you started to shake," she whispered. "I figured it had something to do with what he had done over the summer. When you asked about the threstels, I figured it out."

"Oh…"

"Would you like to talk about it?" Luna asked.

"No."

"Okay."

* * *

"Settle down, settle down," Dumbledore said, holding up his hands to get the excited students attention.

"He looks exhausted," Hermione murmured worriedly and Harry nodded, his mind drifting to the events of the summer. Dumbledore had been very busy…

"As we welcome in the new year, I would like to remind our students, especially our returning students, that the Forbidden Forest is off limits and anyone found there will be expelled."

"Does that include Potter, or is that warning just for the rest of us?" Draco Malfoy called out expectantly, shooting a look over at the Gryffindor table.

"Mr. Malfoy, be quiet," Professor Severus Snape said rather lazily. Several students glared at him and a few retorted with extremely rude comments, but Dumbledore just smiled and shook his head.

"Mr. Malfoy," he replied. "Anyone found in the Forbidden Forest will be expelled. That goes for Mr. Potter as well." Harry became still beside Ron and they exchanged a quick glance before Dumbledore continued. "Now, as I was saying. This is a new year and I hope that it will be the best year yet. I'm hoping that all of you will do your best to strive to create a cohesive atmosphere for learning and growing together…" His eyes grew sullen and he looked over the Great Hall. "I do not need to remind all of you of the war that is raging outside of these walls. Rumors are running rampant but we must be mindful of how we let those rumors affect our schoolwork and how well our houses work together."

Dumbledore said a few more things before he sat back down and quickly the Great Hall became filled with chatter.

"Can you believe that bastard?" Seamus Finnegan muttered, glancing over at the Slytherin table. Ginny bit her lip but said nothing.

"He's an insensitive arse," Harry agreed happily. "I wish he'd disappear."

"Has anyone noticed that the ghosts are missing?" Ginny asked pointedly, running her hands through her hair. She could feel herself trembling a bit and could not figure out why she was so anxious. "I haven't seen Nearly-Headless Nick."

"I wonder where they went," Dean asked and they exchanged a glance before Ginny felt her cheeks burn and she looked away. She did not need this right now. Feeling eyes burning into her back, she looked over her shoulder to find Draco watching her carefully and her stomach churned painfully and a thin blanket of sweat appeared on her skin.

"Ginny, are you feeling okay? You look a little pale," Hermione whispered, noticing Ginny's sudden change in appearance. The others noticed as well but before any of them could express their concern, she stood up and offered a weak smile.

"I'm just feeling a little sick. I'll be in my dormitory," she mumbled.

"Ginny-"

"I'll be fine," she insisted. "I just need to get some sleep."

They all watched her leave before Dean turned to Hermione, concern written all over his face.

"Is she okay?" he asked and Hermione bit her lip.

"She had a really hard summer."

"Oh no…" Ron grumbled and they frowned.

"What?"

Ron motioned to the Slytherin table.

"Guess who's the new Head Boy," he muttered and they all turned to the table as well.

"No way!"

**A/N: Hey everyone. School is almost over and I will then be able to focus more of my attention on the stories. **

**NoReins94:** I appreciate the offer and I will take you up on it after this chapter. I just want to get this one out there. I'm glad you like the characters, I'm trying my best to make them a little different.

**AngeliqueBlack****: **Thank you! I hope you like this one.

**Rhr4eva****:** I put Hr/R in there for my benefit. I absolutely love the pairing. I'm glad you decided to read the story.

**Chapter Tease:**

_"Friendships are funny things if we don't take care of them or acknowledge them."_

"_Meaning?"_

_Luna shrugged as they entered their Potions class and sat down near the front. _

"_I don't know. It's something my mother used to say."_

"_What do you think it means?" Ginny asked curiously and Luna smiled. _

"_I think it means if we don't allow something to grow, we run the risk of missing a wonderful experience." _


	8. Denial of All Things Reasonable

_The speed of the human mind is remarkable. So is its inability to face the obvious._ **-Simon Mawer**

* * *

Ginny's nightmares were getting worse and it was severely affecting her. She secluded herself as often as possible to avoid everyone pointing out how pale she was and how sick she looked. Harry and Dean were the worst of them, prodding her for information, while Hermione and, surprisingly Ron, were more subtle about their questioning. This only made things worse for Ginny, who did her best to prove to them that she was fine. She forced herself to smile more often and engage in conversations that she found no interest in.

She rarely slept anymore to avoid the nightmares and she was beginning to slack off in her work. Her mind wandered away from her and she could no longer focus on anything that was around her.

Thankfully, Luna was the only one who failed to probe the issue. In fact, when she and Ginny were together, Luna barely said a word. She just listened, not that Ginny said much.

"When do you think it will all end?" Luna asked quietly as they headed up the hill from Hagrid's Hut.

"What are you talking about?"

Luna motioned around them. "The war… when do you think it will end?"

Biting her lip, Ginny shrugged and looked down at her shoes. "When Harry kills Voldemort," she replied. "I mean, it has to be, right?"

Luna nodded slowly. "I suppose…" She looked over at Ginny. "Do you think it will happen here?"

Ginny stopped and stared at her friend. "Harry killing Voldemort?" Luna nodded and stopped as well, allowing Ginny time to process it. "There are so many people here, Luna… I don't think Harry would want it to happen here…"

"If Harry decides to fight Voldemort."

Ginny turned to her friend. "What do you mean if he decides? Harry's going to fight Voldemort, we all know that."

Luna shrugged, starting back up the path towards the castle. "He seems distracted lately. I think he'd rather fight Malfoy than Voldemort."

It was an observation that Luna was the first to make but not to witness. Harry had been rather preoccupied lately with finding an excuse to follow Malfoy and even after Dumbledore had advised him to stay away from the blonde Slytherin.

Hermione, the one person who would have brought it up much earlier, refused to for the simple purpose of antagonizing the one person she was talking to. She and Ron had already begun fighting when she had received not only a letter from McLaggen, who had mistaken their run in at Diagon Alley as a turn of fate, but a letter from Victor Krum, indicating that he would be making a trip to Hogwarts some time that year. They had two small rows about it before Ginny accidentally brought it up in an attempt to steer the conversation away from her own issues. That prompted Ron to express his feelings about the whole situation in the only way he knew how.

A fight.

And fight they did.

So much so that by the time they were done and seething, half the Gryffindor common room was cowering behind some object large enough to shield them from view. The fight was ended by a very un-Hermione statement condemning Ron to a life of solitude and misery which forced him to leave before saying something he knew he would never be able to take back.

Thus leading to the oversight in Harry's growing obsession with proving the entire Slytherin House Death Eaters.

"I suppose you're right, Luna," Ginny agreed, hurrying after her. "But..."

She drifted off when she caught sight of a crowd of Slytherins on their way down to Hagrid's Hut followed closely by Gryffindors. She and Luna moved out of the way but Ginny could not help but watch as Draco walked by with several others, laughing about something unsavory. When he did not look at her, she bit her lip and looked further up where Harry and Ron were coming down.

"Hey Harry. Ron," she greeted with Luna, but Ron just kept walking, his eyes clouded over with thought. Harry stopped however and smiled at them.

"Ginny, Luna," he replied. "How is it?"

"Fine Harry," Ginny said, glancing down at her brother's retreating back. "How is my brother?"

Harry shrugged, his smile waning a little.

"Fine, as long as Hermione's not around."

"Where is Hermione?"

Harry glanced behind him and frowned.

"I thought she was behind us…"

"She took the other way around," Luna told them, pointing out the bushy haired girl coming out of the woods behind Hagrid's Hut and joining the group of students below. "She must have dropped something in the bushes."

Harry snorted. "Yeah, I'm sure that's it," he muttered. "I'll see you two later, I suppose."

"Bye, Harry," Ginny called as she and Luna headed for the next class. "Do you think they'll ever talk to each other again?"

"Who?"

"Ron and Hermione?"

"Perhaps. Friendships are funny things if we don't take care of them or acknowledge them."

"Meaning?"

Luna shrugged as they entered their Potions class and sat down near the front. "I don't know. It's something my mother used to say."

"What do you think it means?" Ginny asked curiously and Luna smiled.

"I think it means if we don't allow something to grow, we run the risk of missing a wonderful experience," she said and Ginny frowned, having a strange feeling that the blonde haired enigma was no longer talking about Ron and Hermione. Shifting uncomfortably, she pulled her hair up into a ponytail and sighed.

"Well, I think Ron and Hermione should stop bickering and just get it over with," she muttered.

"There are a lot of people who should stop bickering," Luna muttered and Ginny sighed.

It was no use.

* * *

"_CRUCIO!"_

_The woman shrieked and Ginny closed her eyes, pressing herself against the wall. If she ran, they would hear her and more than likely find her before she returned to Diagon Alley. Her best option was to remain and remain silent. _

"_Oh God, please!" the woman sobbed. "I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE!"_

"_The Minister isn't worth saving," the man in charge snarled. "Tell us!"_

"_Please-"_

"_CRUCIO!"_

"_They're kept in the Department of Mysteries!" she screamed, desperate to be rid of the torment. "Please!"_

_Ginny's grip on the old gate became so tight that her hands were beginning to bleed. The men exchanged glances before one of them raised their wand, but instead of pointing it to the woman on the ground, they pointed it straight at Ginny._

"_Thank you, Weasley," the man whispered_.

Ginny bolted up in bed before she could see the rest of the nightmare, drenched in sweat and gasping for breath. She looked around frantically to make sure others in her dormitory did not notice before she got out of bed and slipped out of the dormitory. A few people were in the common room but most did not notice her as she hurried over to the portrait door and out of the Gryffindor House. She made her way down the long dark halls, searching for a place to catch her breath.

She did not know why she continued to have nightmares. It was difficult to believe that after a month or so later, she continued to feel the effects of that day. She wanted desperately to be rid of them but for some reason they resurfaced in her dreams.

Running a hand through her hair, she gave a sigh of relief when she made it to the Astronomy tower undetected. She closed her eyes and breathed in the cool pine air, leaning against the railing that protected her from falling. Ginny tried to think about other things, but it was proving fruitless and she was quickly becoming anxious again.

"You know, Weasley, if you jumped, it would probably solve all of our problems."

"Bloody hell!" Ginny yelped, jumping back from the railing and tripping over herself in her attempt to get away from the door. When she saw Draco Malfoy standing there, her eyes narrowed and anger boiled up within her. "Go away!"

"I should take points," Draco said, tapping his Head Boy badge with his wand. "You're not supposed to be up here."

Ginny stood up and squared her shoulders. "It's Hermione's rounds so neither are you," she countered and Draco raised an eyebrow.

"Someone's in a bad mood," he observed before catching how pale and sweaty she was. "Are you sick, Weasley?" he asked, taking a tentative step back. She had ruined one pair of shoes. She was not about to ruin another.

"Why don't you mind your own business?"

"I would but…" When she would not look him in the eyes, he realized what was going on. "Ah… I see… no sleep. No rest. No release."

Ginny frowned. "What?"

Draco approached her with a knowing look on his face. She backed up a little but refused to look him completely in the eyes. "You're having nightmares, aren't you?"

Ginny's eyes flared and she crossed her arms over her chest. "You don't know what you're talking-"

"Oh please, Weasley," Draco snapped irritably. "Spare me the denial and have the bullocks to admit that you couldn't handle what you saw."

His words snapped something in her and she lashed out, striking him hard across the face while she glared daggers at him as he stumbled back in shock. "That woman died, you bastard!" she screamed. "She died and all you can tell me is that I'm acting like a bloody coward?"

Before she could hit him again, Draco snatched her wrist in a bruising grip and twisted her around, slamming her up against the wall to stop her from moving. "Do it again, Weasley," he threatened and she quickly relaxed. The only thing that could be heard in the Astronomy tower was her ragged breathing as Draco waited until he was completely sure that she would not hit him again. When he released her carefully, she turned around, biting her lip upon seeing the forming of a bruise on his cheek. Her eyes began to fill with tears at her behavior and she slid to the ground, covering her head as she tried to get a grip of herself.

Unused to this sort of situation, Draco remained silent, still smarting from her attack but unsure of how to go about it. This was not just some girl he could dispose of without repercussions. She was not stable and if he left her here and someone saw they would most likely get the wrong idea.

"I should have done something," Ginny mumbled pitifully and Draco looked down at her.

"What?"

"I should have done something," Ginny snapped, looking up at him through watery eyes. "I just…"

"You couldn't have done anything, Weasley," he said matter-of-factly and she stood up, glaring at him.

"How the hell would you know?" she hissed. "I could have done something! I could have saved her! But all I did was stand there like a daft clod and let her die!"

To her horror, Draco started laughing as he leaned against the railing and observed her. "Saved her? Saved her?" He laughed again. "Weasley, you were outnumbered by five trained Death Eaters and as much time as you've spent watching Potter masquerading as some sort of hero, you probably would have been killed."

"I SHOULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING!" Ginny screamed.

Despite his aversion to being yelled at, Draco was able to see past Ginny's little tantrum and reveal the reason to her problems. Crossing his arms over his chest, he moved towards her.

"That's not what's keeping you awake at night," he whispered and she shook her head.

"You don't know what keeps me up at night," she hissed. "Nor will you _ever_."

Draco snorted at the concept. "You're not upset because you couldn't do anything, Weasley," he told her.

"You-"

"There are over six billion miserable souls on this planet," he snapped, trapping her in the corner of the tower and forcing her to look at him. "Many of them are dying from disease and starvation and yet you chose to tear your heart out over the death of the one person in the world who's death you couldn't have prevented." He shook his head, his eyes drilling through her ribcage and right into her soul. "No… the reason you're not sleeping isn't because you care about that woman. You're not sleeping because you wish you'd reacted better later."

Tears were now streaming down Ginny's face but she ignored them as the rage began to build inside of her once more. She hated him for knowing how she thought. She hated him for seeing just how petty she was.

"That woman died and all I could do was sob like a baby," she whispered. "I couldn't do a thing…"

Draco raised an eyebrow at this. "You're upset because you had a natural reaction to _murder_?" he asked and she looked at him.

"How do you do it?" she asked quietly.

"How do I do what?"

Ginny looked down at her hands, struggling to stop crying. It was pathetic just how low she felt in front of him. She should be in her room right now but instead she was pouring her soul out to him like some dying invalid.

"How do you watch someone die like that and just go on like it didn't happen? How do you just continue functioning and make comments like you don't care?" she asked weakly and Draco stared at her for a moment before he leaned in, causing her to flinch at the movement. Her eyes closed in anticipation of some sort of attack, but instead he just leaned into her ear, letting his lips brush over her skin as he breathed in her scent.

Instantly he wished he could stay there forever, breathing in her fragranced hair and frightening her at the same time. "Because I don't care," he murmured into her ear, making her shudder as he moved away and leaned on the railing, his eyes going down to the lake where the giant squid began to glide along the surface like a silent wraith, scattering the reflection of the moon briefly before it was reinstated to its original place on top of the water. Ginny stayed by the wall for a while, thinking over his words while she wiped the tears from her face.

"Why?" she asked.

"Why what?"

Ginny walked over to the railing and looked at him carefully. "Why don't you care about what happened to that woman?"

Draco was silent for a moment before he met her gaze. "Did you know her?" he asked.

"I talked to her-"

"Did. You. Know. Her?" he asked pointedly, stressing every word with a biting tone. Ginny bit her lip and shook her head mutely. "Did you even know her name before then?" At that point, Ginny was ashamed of herself. She had not known the name of the Archives woman. Noticing the shame in Ginny's eyes, Draco smirked. "Ah… I see… then tell me, Weasley. Why do _you_ care about what happened to that woman? You obviously didn't know her very well and while you may be having dreams about what happened, I can bet every Galleon I have that not once has that woman's face appeared in your dreams."

Ginny opened her mouth to counter him, but upon realizing that he was right, she shut it quickly and looked down at the lake, unable to think up something to say.

"According to the Ministry and Dumbledore we are in this little thing called a war and as long as that continues, death will happen," Draco whispered. "If I started letting every little casualty I saw affect me, eventually I would die as well."

"Something tells me you'd be like that even if the war was over, Malfoy," Ginny muttered and he snorted.

"I've grown up with death," he replied. "I got over that little hysterical stage in my life a long time ago."

They stood at the railing for a while, just staring out at the lake in comfortable silence and contemplating the many reasons why they were still there. Her tantrum was over and Ginny was now concerned that someone would walk in and find them there and as much as this may have appeared innocent, an unwilling bystander would most likely construe the situation out of context. She turned to him to suggest they leave when he turned to her and pressed his lips to hers, surprising her to a point where she was unable to move. At first she thought maybe it had been an accident and she tried to pull away, but his hand moved on top of hers, gripping it and the railing, stopping her in her tracks. She stood there frozen as his lips moved against hers gently, terrified out of her mind before he pulled away and turned back to looking out to the lake, his eyes glazing over with thought. When he did not speak, she pressed her hands to her cheeks and tried to stop the deep blush that was coming to her face. His touch still lingered on her lips and she was tempted to wipe it off to get rid of the memory altogether.

"What was that for?" she asked breathlessly and he shrugged, not looking at her. He did not respond immediately, which unnerved her. The kiss itself was not what was bothering her. It had been rather pleasant, regardless of the person who had kissed her in the first place. What was really bugging her was that it had been completely out of the blue. They had just finished discussing death and then he… he kissed her…

"I wanted to know what Potter found so fascinating," he replied quietly and her mouth dropped open at his honesty.

_What?_

"Oh…" She could not think of a good response and her mind was not working properly. The next word out of her mouth was unintentional. "And?"

He shrugged again, still not looking at her. He honestly had not expected her to question beyond the initial action. "A little disappointed."

She knew she should not have been hurt by the comment, but for some reason her heart pinched painfully and she looked down at her feet to keep the hurt from showing up on her face.

He had kissed gads of girls in the past; of course he was disappointed with her. She had barely been able to respond to him. Suddenly she felt inadequate. She must have felt like rubber to just stand there and not do anything while he kissed her.

"You tasted like strawberries," he muttered and she looked up rapidly, eyes wide.

"What?" she gasped and he looked over at her, his eyes darkening.

"You tasted like strawberries," he repeated and she bit her lip. He did not look particularly pleased by this turn of events.

"What were you expecting?" she could not help but ask.

Draco stared at her for a moment before he straightened up so that his tall frame was slightly above hers. "Apples," he told her before he straightened his robes, turned around and left.

"Oh…"

**A/N: On the the next chapter!**


	9. Redirect

_We do not remember days; we remember moments._ **-Cesare Pavese**

* * *

"_A little disappointed."_

Those words had replaced Ginny's nightmares along with the kiss that had preceded them. She had tried to find an alternative, sinister reason for Draco Malfoy to do such a thing, but the longer she thought about it, the more disturbed she became. There was absolutely no reason for him to kiss her except for the inadequate and equally disturbing excuse he had given her.

"_I wanted to know what Potter found so fascinating."_

Found so fascinating? Her eyes went over to Harry, looking over him quickly. Their relationship had been very brief, but apparently deep enough for even Malfoy to find something worth exploring. Biting her lip, Ginny quickly gathered a lock of hair in her hand and smelt it. She smelled like apples.

"Okay there, Ginny?" Ron asked, noticing what his sister was doing. Ginny jolted a little and then looked around to see Dean and Harry watching her as well.

"Oh… um… I was just… trying to remember what shampoo I used this morning," she lied hopefully and Harry snorted.

"You don't smell, if that's what you're wondering," he told her.

"You smell like apples, actually," Dean added and Ginny blushed, sinking down a little in her seat. While it was a sincere remark, somehow it did not feel the same as it had when Draco had given her his reasoning.

"Thank you, Dean," she muttered, poking at her food as her mind drifted back to Draco's statement.

"_You tasted like strawberries."_

Ginny glanced across the table to where Parvati Patil was sitting next to Seamus. The girl had lent her the strawberry lip balm earlier that day during a break and apparently it had not worn off her lips when he had kissed her. Running a finger over her lips, she glanced quickly over her shoulder to where Draco was sitting with several of his cronies, including Pansy Parkinson, who was stroking his hair and whispering things into his ear. Ginny had no interest in knowing what she was possibly saying to him.

"It doesn't matter," she muttered to herself, attracting more attention from those sitting nearby.

"What doesn't matter?" Harry asked inquisitively and she shook her head.

"Nothing, Harry," she said. "Because it doesn't matter."

Harry stared at her for a moment before remembering something and he leaned in. "Oh, I asked Dumbledore about the ghosts," he told her and she frowned.

"What happened?"

He shrugged. "Dumbledore says he doesn't know. He just said that one morning he woke up and Filch said they had all just left."

Hermione had been sitting close to them, purposefully ignoring Ron as she read the Daily Prophet and ate toast, but upon hearing this, she could not help but interject. "Harry, the ghosts haven't left," she said curtly and Ron looked over.

"Why?" he asked and her eyes darkened.

"Because once a ghost has established itself in a certain building it can't leave, Ronald," she responded irritably. "The ghosts haven't left."

"But Dumbledore said they were gone," Ron retorted and everyone else at the table slid down in their seats a little as Hermione bristled at being countered once again.

"Those ghosts have been here for hundreds of years, Ron. They just don't pack their things and leave when they want to. It's impossible," she snapped.

Ron looked around as if he were searching for something before he turned back to Hermione. "Well, I don't see a bloody ghost around here and I haven't seen one since we arrived, Hermione," he sniped. "They've left."

"Ronald, the statistical probability of a ghost leaving Hogwarts is-"

"Hermione, I don't give a damn about statistical probabilities," Ron interrupted, causing her eyes to widen in anger. "There are no more ghosts around here and you bloody well know it."

"Ronald Weasley, you daft fool. If you used your head for once you would know-"

"Ahem."

Every single person at that table leapt out of their seats at the sound that reminded them so much of their fifth year DADA professor and they turned quickly to see McGonagall standing there, watching them sternly.

"Ms. Granger, while Mr. Weasley may not offer a very good argument, he is correct in saying that the ghosts are no longer here at Hogwarts," she said and Hermione frowned.

"But, Professor, that's impossible," she protested. "The ghosts can't leave."

Professor McGonagall sighed and looked around the table. "I know it is hard to comprehend, but we have had the castle searched five times and the ghosts are nowhere to be found. They have indeed left."

"Thank you, Professor," Harry said quietly. "We'll try to be a little quieter next time," he added, knowing the real reason the professor had come down to talk to them. McGonagall looked skeptical, but she nodded curtly and turned back to the Head Table.

"Well, Hermione, it seems this daft fool just proved you wrong," Ron snapped angrily and Hermione's eyes flared.

"You didn't prove anything. All you were doing was pulling from what Harry said, who was pulling from what Dumbledore said, so all it makes you is a third rate reporter," she hissed. "You don't even have the proper sense to use useful information to defend your argument. All you did was blather on like some baboon."

Everyone could instantly see the hurt in Ron's eyes at her words and before anyone could say anything, he quickly got up and left the table, striding swiftly towards the exit. Realizing what she had just said, Hermione's eyes filled with horror and she shot out of her seat, followed closely by Harry and Ginny.

"Ron!" Hermione called, running to catch up with Ron's long legs. "Ron, please, I didn't mean that!"

When she reached the space right outside of the Great Hall, Ron was gone and she was close to tears. Neville, who had been late for breakfast, was also there, confusion written all over his face.

"Ron!" she cried. "RON!"

"Hermione, leave him be," Harry snapped when he and Ginny caught up with her. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

At this point the young woman looked distraught. "I didn't mean it, Harry. I just… I was so upset and he… oh this is horrible," she muttered. "I can't believe I said that to him!"

"Trouble in paradise?"

They turned to see Warrington standing there with a couple of others, watching the four Gryffindors carefully. Ginny caught the look he was giving Hermione and she felt her stomach churn. It was the same look Pansy had given Draco in the Great Hall.

"Sod off," she snapped while Harry immediately took a step towards the large boy.

"Why can't Slytherins mind their own business?" Harry growled.

"Why can't Gryffindors have better taste in company?" Warrington responded, his eyes focused solely on Hermione. "A Mudblood is hardly worth the time."

"Don't say that," Neville said defensively and Warrington smirked.

"Don't say what? Mudblood? I think it's the perfect word to call the little witch who whores herself for Potter while he secretly shags Weasley's sister," he replied.

There was a flash of light and then someone screamed before they all saw Warrington fall to the ground, clutching his face in agony while the other Slytherins kneeled down to see what had happened. The others looked behind them to see Ron standing on the step, tucking his wand in his robes with a dark look on his face. Hermione bit her lip and tried to approach him.

"Ron-"

"Leave me alone, Hermione," he growled, walking past her towards the Great Hall. "I left my Potions book behind," he muttered, disappearing back into the dining area. Ginny and Harry exchanged glances before Harry followed Ron with Neville close behind while Ginny hurriedly ushered Hermione up the stairs to the Head dormitories.

Ron would no doubt receive detention and Hermione did not need to be there when he did. More than likely, she would make things worse.

* * *

The rest of the day had been tense and on more than one occasion, Hermione had slipped off for a cry in the loo. Ron had remained stoic for the rest of the day, masking any emotions he was feeling with a nasty glare or passive grunt. Ginny and Harry tried their best to mediate without picking sides, but it was hard to do after knowing what Hermione had said.

By dinner, Ginny had lost her appetite and decided to go to Hermione's dormitory to study. It was quieter and there would be significantly less distractions. Her mind wandered back to what had happened the night before and she could not help but wonder whether Draco was thinking about her as well. His comments about the kiss failed to elude her but as much as she tried to figure out why he had said those things, the answer would not come to her.

"Lemon Drop," she muttered and the portrait leading to the Head common room opened. She did not notice the occupants of the common room until she had almost reached the corner.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

Ginny dropped her books and whirled around, her eyes widening at what she had stumbled in on. Blood rushed to her face and she averted her eyes while Pansy Parkinson quickly buttoned up her shirt, glaring daggers at Ginny while Draco continued to sit on the couch, his eyes fixed on the embarrassed Weasley.

"I asked you a question, Weasley?" Pansy snapped and Ginny pointed to her.

"The same reason you are. To visit a friend," she said, glancing over at Draco. "Though our definitions of visiting are obviously different."

"Draco, there's nothing up here but a bottle of firewhiskey," a girl complained as she came out of Draco's room. Ginny released a groan and looked down at her books. This was getting worse and worse by the moment.

"Bloody hell," she muttered. "Did I walk into an orgy?"

Draco's eyes roamed over Ginny as she bent down to pick up her books. His body reacted positively to the way she moved but he effectively hid it from the other two girls in the common room.

"It's called a twosome, Weasley, but I'm willing to explore and make it three," he offered coolly and Pansy snorted.

"With that blood traitor, Draco?" she hissed while the other girl came down the stairs and sat down on the couch beside Draco.

"A shag is a shag, Pansy, no matter who you're shagging."

Ginny could not help but snort at the comment and they all looked at her.

"Something funny?" Pansy growled and Ginny motioned to Draco.

"If that's the way he thinks, you'd think a girl would know better," she replied frankly. Her eyes then moved over Pansy with such contempt that Draco was surprised the redhead was not a Slytherin herself. "Then again, I suppose when you spread your legs for anything that may find you slightly attractive, that's what you deserve."

"Look, you little-"

"Sit down, Pansy," Draco snapped irritably, pinching the bridge of his nose to stop a headache from forming. When Pansy shot him a nasty glare, he returned the look with a knowing smirk. "Attacking a Weasley in the Head common room when Granger could walk in at any moment?" He shook his head. "That's not very smart, even for you."

Pansy's eyes widened at his words and she sat down quickly, turning her livid gaze back to Ginny, who sat down at a table in the corner and proceeded to pretend to ignore them.

The idea of Draco being with other girls had never really crossed her mind because it was so commonplace. It didn't bother her as much as she thought it would, considering he had kissed her the night before. What bothered her was that with the pick of any girl in Hogwarts, he continued to surround himself with Pansy Parkinson.

"Draco, you promised a party," the other girl whined. "We still have firewhiskey."

Ginny rolled her eyes at the girl's desperate groping. How low could one girl debase herself?

"Ugh, it's starting to smell in here," Pansy snapped, still glaring at Ginny's back. "I think someone in the room is stinking it up."

It took everything in Draco's power not to roll his eyes as the younger girl started to kiss his neck seductively. He watched as Pansy dug through her bag and pulled out some perfume, spraying it around.

Ginny glanced over her shoulder and sniffed, her eyes widening when the scent of strawberries moved through her nostrils. Her lips parted slightly and she stared at Pansy while her mind wandered back to last night.

Strawberries…

"What are you staring at?" Pansy demanded and Ginny couldn't help herself.

"Do you like apples, Pansy?" she asked quickly and in the corner of her eye, she saw the corner of Draco's lips twitch.

"What?"

Ginny glanced over at Draco quickly before she shrugged. "Do you like apples?"

"I hate apples," the girl on Draco's lap announced proudly, twirling a strand of her brown hair around in her fingers. "Disgusting fruit."

"I despise apples, Weasley," Pansy hissed. "Just as I despise blood traitor tramps like you."

Ginny snorted, her eyes falling on Draco. "Let me guess. Strawberries for Malfoy," she sneered. "I bet he loves strawberries."

Pansy's eyes narrowed and she stood up again. "Look you little-"

"I've lost my appetite," Draco snapped, standing up as well and motioning to the door. "Leave."

The girl he had gracelessly dumped on the ground looked outraged. "Leave? You promised-"

Ginny bit her lip and looked down at her shoes when Draco's hand shot out and his fingers wrapped around the girl's throat while Pansy scrambled for the door.

"GET OUT!" he snarled, shoving the girl away from him. She yelped and ran out of the common room with Pansy close behind her. The common room became quiet while Draco fixed his clothes and took a deep breath, running a hand through his hair as he tried to calm himself.

"I'm going to assume that intensive dialogue isn't the reason Parkinson's around," Ginny whispered, opening one of her books and pulling out her notes. "She doesn't seem like much of a conversationalist."

"What she wants to talk about doesn't require discussion, Weasley," he replied irritably and she looked over at him.

"Sex?" she suggested knowingly. "I would have thought you would at least want a tangible conversation once in a while, though I suppose talking about breasts can count if you think hard enough."

Draco raised an eyebrow and caught her gaze, causing her to blush and return to her books. He smirked and walked over to stand right beside her chair, looking over her shoulder.

"I don't discuss breasts with Parkinson and Slytherin conversation can become quite tedious," he said.

Ginny snorted, jotting down a couple of things. "I would suspect talk of the Dark Lord and which Gryffindor to terrorize would tickle your fancy right quick, Malfoy," she muttered and he sat down across from her.

"I found something better to tickle my fancy."

Ginny looked up quickly and, upon catching the look he was giving her, her face became beet red and she averted her eyes, biting the inside of her cheek to keep from uttering any strange noise.

"You'll be hard pressed to get me to climb into bed with you, Malfoy," she snapped. "I suggest you stop thinking about it."

Draco leaned back in his chair and could not help but observe her. She still believed that this whole situation was about sex and it was amusing.

"Weasley, if I wanted to see you naked, I would have done so last night," he told her and she looked up at him, her eyes searching for the real reason he was approaching her. "You're much too fascinating to ruin with shagging."

Ginny opened her mouth to say something but the portrait door swung open and she turned to see Hermione walk in, carrying a couple of books. Ginny glanced back to where Draco was sitting to find him gone.

"Ginny, there you are. Harry was wondering where you'd wandered off to," Hermione said, setting her books down. When she noticed the puzzled look on Ginny's face, she frowned. "Something wrong?"

Ginny stared at the spot Draco had occupied, her mind going over what he had told her. "Um… I'm fine, I was just trying to figure something out."

* * *

For three days Pansy sulked about being kicked out of Draco's common room and while he allowed her the opportunity to bash the Gryffindor who had stayed behind with him, Draco's patience was slowly wearing down as she continued to explain in great detail how she planned on torturing the redhead when Hogwarts was finally taken over.

Draco was currently lounging in the Slytherin common room on a rainy Saturday afternoon, flipping through a newspaper while he tried to ignore Pansy's continuous tirade. Goyle, Crabbe, Warrington and two other boys were also there along with four girls Draco had not met before. Zabini, however, was nowhere to be found.

"The way she speaks to you, Draco," Pansy snapped as she paced the floor like a caged animal. "It's disgusting."

"You want to know what else is disgusting," Goyle grumbled from his spot in the corner, playing chess with Crabbe.

Warrington snorted. "Give it a rest, Parkinson," he said. "We all know how much you hate the Weasley, but the way you rant on about her; we'd think you were in love."

Pansy's eyes filled with rage and she approached Warrington. "Say that again and I'll dismember you," she snarled. "I hope that little redheaded bitch survives the Dark Lord's plans because when she does, I am going to rip her apart piece by piece."

Draco sighed. "Enough, Pansy," he said. "If I wanted to hear about Weasley, I'd have stayed in my own common room."

Pansy's eyes narrowed. "I can't believe you can actually share that space with the Mudblood," she sneered, sitting down and checking her nails. "I imagine it smells horrible every time she walks in."

"I try not to think about it," Draco muttered, scanning a particularly interesting article. "Where exactly are those three idiots, Warrington?"

"Two of them were sorted into Ravenclaw and the other's in Hufflepuff," Warrington replied and Draco looked up from his paper.

"What about Gryffindor?"

Warrington shifted. "The Hat sorted them, Malfoy," he replied. "I can't change it now."

"I want someone in Gryffindor, Warrington," Draco snapped, causing everyone in the common room to become quiet. Realizing that he was being put on the spot, Warrington shifted and faced Draco completely.

"There are a couple of other ways, but-"

"The point of this is to get them to turn against each other, Warrington," Draco cut in, his cool eyes landing on the boy. "I do not need them banning together when one of them goes missing."

Just then Blaise Zabini walked into the common room, followed closely by three very young, very small girls. Ignoring the group that was already in there, he proceeded up to his dormitory with the three girls in tow, all three of them glancing over their shoulders at Draco and whispering amongst themselves before they disappeared into the dormitories.

"What the hell is he doing?" Pansy muttered. "Those girls are first years."

Draco was wondering the same thing but he did not vocalize it. He just returned to the original conversation between himself and Warrington. "Well?"

Warrington was sweating a little at this point and it was obvious that he could not come up with a plan that would give Slytherin complete deniability. Sighing, Draco looked down at his paper and found himself wanting Ginerva Weasley's company more than the company he was in. At least the Weasley supplied him with stimulating conversation as well as something appealing to look at.

"Why is it that I'm disappointed a lot lately?" he asked and Pansy slid over to him, knocking another girl out of her way in the process.

"I don't disappoint you, do I?" she cooed into his ear, her hand moving up his leg seductively. Draco's first instinct was to say yes, but he knew he had to be smart about the way he handled Pansy. If he alienated her this early in the year, she would more than likely become a very dangerous enemy with his mother at her side to make his life miserable. He needed to keep her close for now.

"I enjoy your company more than the rest of them," he replied and she looked pleased. Before she could respond however, the three girls Zabini had come in with appeared without the sixth year, faces red with embarrassment as they hurried out of the common room. Draco watched them leave before his eyes turned to see Zabini making his way down the stairs, fixing his sleeves as he approached them. Warrington's eyes narrowed.

"You know, Zabini," he started. "We put up with a lot of things, but I think sleeping with first years is a little low, don't you?"

Zabini sat down in the corner with Crabbe and Goyle. "I think that raping girls over the summer is also a little low, but you don't see me mentioning your sexual preferences, do you?" the boy replied almost lazily, motioning to a move Goyle could take to win the chess game. Draco raised an eyebrow at the statement but said nothing.

"Look, you son of a bitch. If you have something to say to me, then say it," Warrington growled dangerously, standing up and approaching the boy.

Zabini glanced up at Warrington before he leaned back in his chair and shrugged. "I don't have anything to say to you, Warrington."

Warrington reached down and grabbed him, hauling him up to his feet. "You bloody wanker-"

Before anyone else could move, Zabini pulled out a switchblade, skillfully flipping it around so that it was pressing against Warrington's crotch. The large boy became stiff when he felt the cold steel pressing against his manhood and the others watched carefully while Zabini leaned in so that their faces were close.

"The next time you say something to me, it better be a curse, Cole," he growled in such a threatening tone that Draco was impressed. "Or else I'll start cutting and when I'm done, not even Parkinson will want to shag you." His eyes moved over Warrington in disgust. "Now let go of me."

Warrington released him and Zabini pocketed the knife, straightening his robes before he headed out of the common room. There was a brief silence in the room before Draco stood up and walked past Warrington to where Goyle was sitting.

"Get things done, Cole," he ordered calmly, motioning to Goyle to follow him out of the common room. The moment Draco and Goyle were gone, Warrington grabbed a statue off of the mantle and hurled it across the room, frightening everyone else in the room.

"BASTARD!" he bellowed. "Damn him!"

Zabini had popped up out of nowhere in second year and though he had remained in the background, silently following Draco's orders like the rest without question. The boy was an enigma. Like Malfoy, he was capable of hiding his emotions and was just as enraptured in the idea of purity of blood, though unlike Draco, Zabini vocalized his opinions of muggleborns and halfbloods in a way that displayed not just disgust at the thought or a feeling of superiority, but was followed through with a staunch abstinence from anything of the sort. If it were not to degrade or antagonize them, Zabini was never seen in the company of muggleborns or halfblooded. He kept strictly to pureblood and made it very clear that he would not deviate from that course.

It was only recently that Zabini's intentions within Slytherin had become obvious. His elitist comments, normally aimed for those outside of the house, were now specialized for Warrington and only presented themselves when Malfoy was around. Not only was it an affront to the years of work Warrington had put into Slytherin, it was only proving Warrington a fool in front of Malfoy.

"He thinks he can just piss on me and then get away with it," he snarled. "That bastard just says what he wants and Malfoy just sits there and allows him to-"

Pansy crossed her legs and examined her fingernails. "Be cautious, Warrington," she advised quickly. "Our feelings for Zabini may mirror yours, but there are many of us here who are still loyal to Draco."

Warrington shoved a chair out of his way. "I want to know who that sodding wanker is!" he roared. "I want his bits on my mantle and his head on my table!"

Crabbe rubbed his hands together nervously. While he disliked Zabini, his fear of Malfoy was deep seeded and warranted. If Draco had a purpose for the dark skinned enigma, it would not bode well if Warrington did something to jeopardize that mission. He was unsure if he was willing to be part of Warrington's private war.

"Perhaps it would be best if you left Zabini alone for the time being," he suggested quietly and Warrington whirled around on him.

"_What?_" he hissed and a cold sweat fell upon Crabbe's chubby face.

"I… I just think… since Draco seems to have a reason for keeping him around," he stammered and Warrington grabbed the boy, slamming him up against the wall furiously.

"The next time you decide to speak, I'd reconsider what you say and where your allegiances lie," he growled.

Pansy rolled her eyes and stood up, motioning to the other girls still in the room. "Come on, girls," she sighed. "There's too much testosterone in the room for my taste."

Warrington waited until they were done before he released Crabbe, watching as the fat boy slid to the ground, clutching his neck and gasping for breath. His lip curled in disgust and he looked over to two of his boys sitting on the other side of the common room.

"I want everything about Zabini," he growled. "Everything."

Draco headed down the hall with Goyle following silently for a while until they reached a corridor far away enough from the Slytherin House that protected their conversation from eavesdropping.

"I want both of them watched," he told Goyle quietly.

"You don't trust them?"

"I don't trust Warrington to practice some self-control," Draco replied darkly. "I don't need this shit right now."

Goyle glanced over his shoulder and then shoved his hands in his robe pockets. "What about Zabini?" he asked. "He seems a little unstable."

It surprised Draco sometimes when Goyle proved himself somewhat observant. Goyle himself had accepted the fact that he was not particularly bright, but Draco appreciated the boy's opinions nonetheless. Gregory Goyle had always been loyal to Draco and since Vincent Crabbe's slip up over the summer, he was the only one Draco trusted.

"I'm not quite sure about Zabini yet," Draco answered honestly, stopping by one of the suits of armor and looking down the hall.

"Dean, really, I'm fine."

Both Slytherins turned to see Ginny Weasley come around the corner with Dean Thomas close behind her. Draco observed that she was biting her lips and she was constantly fiddling with her hair as Dean spoke to her. She seemed uncomfortable with the situation and the look on her face provided all he needed to know about her relationship with the boy.

"Can't take a hint, Thomas?" Draco asked lazily and the two looked up in surprise at their audience. Ginny's cheeks immediately went red while Dean's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Sod off, Malfoy," he replied aggressively, moving in front of Ginny. Draco smirked at the action.

"Trying to be a man? Well, I suppose one of you Gryffindors had to be," he commented and Ginny tugged on Dean's robes.

"Dean, let's just go," she suggested. "You've gotclass in ten minutes and I need to get to the library."

Dean kept his eyes on Draco, but began to follow Ginny down the hall. Draco and Goyle exchanged glances before Draco snorted.

"Going to be alone in the library, Weasley?" he called and she glanced over her shoulder, biting her lip at the question. With Dean there, she could offer so few answers while still being able to give Draco a clear description of her meaning. She took a deep breath and tucked her hair behind her ear.

"Not that it's any of your business," she snapped. "You should try going some time, though. You might learn something."

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Someone's a little pissy today," he replied and Dean started for him.

"Sod off, Malfoy," he snapped and Ginny grabbed his arm, turning him back down the hall.

"Dean, let's go," she snapped. "Obviously, some people don't know when to let things go."

Draco watched her walk away with a smirk on his lips. "I'll be seeing you later, Weasley," he called but she did not respond. Goyle waited until they were gone before turning to Draco.

"Should I tell Pansy you're busy tonight?" he asked curiously, a glint of knowing in his eyes. Draco was grateful that the boy did not question his interests in the youngest Weasley. That was another thing he appreciated about the large Slytherin. He didn't question things. He just accepted it and moved on.

Draco's eyes moved down the hall to where Ginny and Dean had disappeared. This was one area in which he and Zabini differed. They both may have hated blood traitors, but Draco was not above seeking them out for his own satisfaction.

"If something happens, come yourself," he said over his shoulder. "But don't bother me."

"Have fun."

Draco paused and turned to the large boy, his eyes filled with the utmost seriousness. "Goyle."

"Yes?"

"Keep this to yourself."

"Yes sir."

**A/N: Perhaps interesting things will happen. **

**NoReins94****: **Thanks for the help! I'm glad you've liked it so far. I appreciate everything! As for the next few chapters, it will definitely be interesting.

**AngeliqueBlack****: **Glad you like it! Hope to hear from you soon!

**Chapter Tease:**

_"What do you know about sex, Weasley?"_


	10. An Indecent Proposal

_My heart beat so hard when I was near him; I feared he could hear my secret longing for him. _** -Destiny Vaestus**

* * *

She knew he was there the moment he entered the library by the way nearby girls started ignoring their books and watched the tall young man disappear down a particular aisle. Ginny looked up in time to see his long, black robes disappear behind a row of books and she bit her lip, uncertain of what exactly was supposed to happen. She knew she had been stupid to give him such an opening, but since the kiss, she could not help but want to see him for the sole purpose of figuring out what was going on in his head.

Taking a deep breath, she picked up some of her books and carried them back to their shelves. She did not have to wait long until he appeared, looking over the books in the aisle as he moved close to where she stood.

"I must say, you picked possibly the most public place to meet," he commented and she glanced over at him.

"I didn't ask you to come," she replied quickly.

"You practically invited me to join you."

"If you're confusing sarcasm with an invitation, then no wonder you Slytherins are in the most inconvenient places all the time."

Draco turned to face her completely. His eyebrows rose in surprise. "My, my, Weasley, you're quite swift today," he remarked. "Thomas got your knickers in a twist?"

Ginny placed one of her books on the shelf and then looked through the other one quickly before she started searching for its place of origin. "Dean and my knickers are none of your concern, Malfoy," she whispered quickly, moving further away from him as she looked for the proper shelf.

"Then why did you ask me to come?" he asked and she glanced over to him, biting her lip as she asked herself the same question. It had been a moment of pure stupidity when she had said those thinly veiled words. But when she thought about it more, she forced herself to turn the question on him.

"Why did you come?" she countered, placing a hand on her hip in the typical matriarchal Weasley fashion. Draco leaned on the shelf and looked down at her, a smirk on his face.

"I asked first, Weasley," he murmured and her cheeks reddened. She felt her stomach flutter at the way he was watching her, but she forced herself to ignore it and return to putting back her books.

"I don't know, really," she muttered honestly, looking through another book and then making her way down to another aisle. Draco followed at a safe distance to avoid drawing attention to himself and the Weasley. He was well aware of the fact that several Gryffindors in the library had noticed him enter and he could not afford to let them see him with Ginny, despite his lack of ill will to the pretty Gryffindor. "I just wanted to talk, I suppose," she finished when they finally reached a more secluded part of the library. Draco plucked one of the books out of her hand and read the title.

"You wanted to talk about what? _Hogwarts, A History?_" he asked skeptically and Ginny shook her head, running a hand through her hair.

"No," she replied, grabbing the book back and putting it in its rightful place. "I just…" She seemed frustrated at this point and released a sigh to express that feeling. "I don't know _why_ I asked you here, Malfoy. It was a very thick thing to do now that I think of it."

It looked as if he had not heard a word she had said. He just walked over to her and took a piece of her hair in his fingers, running his thumb over it to feel the texture while his eyes locked hers in a very intense gaze.

"I don't know… I'm finding it quite revealing," he replied. Biting her lip, Ginny raised her hand and slowly pulled her hair out of his grip, fiddling with it nervously as she lowered her gaze.

"I shouldn't have said anything," she mumbled and Draco laughed, going over to the shelves and looking over the books.

"You're not enjoying yourself?"

"You're a Slytherin," she responded hesitantly. "You should be cursing me right now."

"Yet I'm seeking you out in dark places," he finished and she walked over to the shelf as well, making sure to keep a good distance between them. She ran her fingers over the leather-bound books thoughtfully.

"Obviously, we've both gone bonkers," she muttered and he snorted.

"Speak for yourself; I'm perfectly sane… now as for that Ravenclaw girl you hang around… I'm not quite sure she's got it all together up there," he commented. He picked up one of the books and looked over it with a frown. "What's her name? Linda… Loony?"

"Luna," Ginny snapped and he glanced over to her.

"She's still off her rocker," he pointed out and Ginny shifted.

"Luna's just different. She's not crazy."

"She reads the Quibbler?"

"Yeah, so?"

"That just proves that she's crazy."

"Many people in this school read the Quibbler, Malfoy."

"I don't socialize with any of those people."

"_I've_ read the Quibbler."

"We're not socializing, Weasley," he replied. "We're conversing."

Ginny snorted. "That's right. How goes it with those stupid little strawberries anyway?" she asked curiously. "Are they easier to be around when they're not speaking?"

Draco glanced over at her. "I believe you bring out the worst in Slytherin girls."

Ginny made a contemptuous sound as she shoved one of the books back on the shelf. "I have nothing to say about that," she said. "Parkinson seems to have the need to say something nasty every time she opens her mouth. I just assumed you kept her around for what she did with her mouth closed."

Draco snorted at her words. "You have no bloody idea."

Ginny fell silent at the comment, unable to comprehend why exactly the Slytherin was unable to control the inner workings of his mind around her. It was as if he were compelled to tell her everything he was thinking because he knew she would say something about it.

"Is that all you think about?" she asked quietly.

"I don't think this is appropriate conversation for one such as you," he remarked and she raised an eyebrow. Suddenly he was being discrete?

"What? Sex?"

Ginny instantly wished she had not asked. His eyes became sharp and seemed to penetrate her soul as he approached her slowly and backed her up into one of the shelves, placing both hands on either side of her to prevent her from escaping. Her breathing quickened a little but she was able to stop her hands from shaking as she straightened herself a little.

"What do you know about sex, Weasley?" he asked in such a voice that provoked a strong electrifying shockwave through her entire body. Her lower lip trembled a little as his eyes moved from hers to her lips and his face drew closer to hers.

"I know you're bored of it," she murmured and he tilted his head to the side.

"How would you know that?"

Gaining back a little of her nerve, Ginny placed a hand on his chest to stop him from coming any closer and she took a deep breath. "You're here… instead of with Parkinson…"

Draco looked over her with a smirk before he backed away and leaned on the opposite row of books, allowing Ginny the opportunity to breathe.

"You want to know why I really hate strawberries, Weasley?" he asked and Ginny looked around, hoping at this point that someone would come to save her from actually hearing the answer. Noticing her discomfort, Draco could not help but be intrigued. She was constantly contradicting herself and he wanted to know why. He wanted to know why she wanted him there and he wanted to know why he wanted to be there as well.

"Why do you hate them?" she asked after a moment and he looked her over carefully, his eyes taking in every single aspect of her body. Her freckles and pale, smooth skin. The chocolate eyes that stared out at him through past loss of love and resilience. He took in her tall, lean figure and knew how well she kept it under control through the help of Quidditch. Finally his eyes landed on her lips and how pink they were. When he had kissed her for the first time, he had marveled at how soft and hesitant they had been compared to Pansy's more aggressive approach. His only disappointment had been how she had tasted…

Draco's head tilted to the side and his eyes narrowed, making Ginny nervous. She could tell he was thinking carefully about something and she did not like how he was staring at her. "They spoil too easily," he whispered suddenly and she frowned.

"What?"

Draco approached her quietly and trapped her once more against the shelf, his eyes moving over her face with the curiosity of one who only wished to see what was before him. She could see no ulterior motive beyond that curiosity and it scared her to think that Draco Malfoy could actually just be fascinated by her.

"Strawberries spoil easily," he whispered again. "Apples don't."

Suddenly understanding his meaning, Ginny shook her head in earnest and tried to push him away but he refused.

"I don't think this is a really good idea, Malfoy," she muttered. "You and I… if someone saw…"

"No one's going to see anything because there isn't going to be anything to see, Weasley," he replied and she looked up at him.

"Then what is it that you want from me?" she demanded.

This time when Draco's lips made contact with hers, she reacted quickly. Ginny could not help but respond positively as his lips pressed against hers in a manner similar to their first interaction. However, when he realized that she was no longer just standing there but a willing participant, he quickly ran his tongue across her lip, uncharacteristically requesting permission to explore more. It took her a moment before she opened her lips, allowing his tongue to brush against hers and sending sparks through both their bodies at the sensual experience.

"I just want a conversation," he murmured against her lips and her eyes opened to look into his unsettled grey orbs. Their bodies were pressing against each other tightly and their lips were still touching, sending more waves of very much unwanted exhilaration through every nerve of their bodies, prompting Ginny to lean in and kiss him again, despite her overwhelming desire to flee the situation completely. Draco responded by allowing his hands to move away from the shelf and to her body. One circled around her waist to pull her closer while the other moved down her leg just below her skirt, pulling her leg up to him in such a manner that forced Ginny to pull away and shake her head.

"This isn't a conversation, Draco," she snapped, moaning when his lips pressed against hers again. They shared several brief, heated kisses before he pulled away a little and looked her in the eyes.

"I'm not looking for sex, Weasley," he said. "If that's what you're concerned about."

Ginny looked at him disbelievingly. "You're a bloody Slytherin and you think _sex_ is what I'm concerned about?" she hissed. He kissed her again and she groaned, running her hands up to his face to hold him there for a moment. When she felt his lips curl up into a grin, she cursed herself mentally and pulled away, shaking her head again. "No. No. _No._"

Draco gave her an incredulous look, growing tired with her interruptions.

"What exactly are you saying no to, Weasley?" he asked, leaning in again and kissing her just below the ear. His body reacted quickly when she pulled him closer while gasping into his ear. She murmured something inaudible just as one of his legs slipped in-between hers and her knees gave way, forcing him to hold her up as he continued to nip and kiss her soft, slender neck while trying to keep in mind that they were still in a public area. Like Ginny, Draco's mind was quickly beginning to fade away from the original problem at hand as his body wanted more than he was allowing at the moment.

Never had he been so controlled with a girl as he was with this Gryffindor who was trying him with every breath she released and shudder she gave against him. This fascination was quickly becoming dangerously close to an infatuation and he could not allow that to happen.

But...

"Bloody hell," Ginny gasped, shoving Draco away from her into the opposite shelf before she began pacing anxiously, running her hands through her hair as she muttered darkly to herself. Draco watched her for a moment, trying very hard not to grab her and continue down the path they had been going. Instead, he chose to close his eyes and lean back, taking deep breaths as he ignored her.

For three days he had managed to keep the sensations he had felt from kissing her the first time buried beneath every other possible emotion he had skillfully crushed during his lifetime. He had not thought about it for a moment and ignored Ginny purposefully so he would not have to be presented with the very situation they had found themselves in.

"You're an arse."

Draco opened his eyes to see Ginny glaring at him. "Excuse me?"

She pointed directly at him. "You're an arse," she repeated angrily and he raised an eyebrow.

"Do you have a problem with being snogged, Weasley?" he asked and her entire face became bright red. She tried to punch him in the face but he caught her hand and twisted it painfully.

"Let go of me!" she ordered, struggling to get her hand out of his grip. "Malfoy, you stubborn, little prick, let go of me!"

"Say the magic words," he whispered and her eyes filled with anger.

"You rat-"

Draco rolled his eyes and yanked her right up to his chest. "Yeah, yeah, I'm a bastard. Shut up," he snapped, bringing his lips down on hers again. Ginny struggled for a moment before she managed to get away and hit him in the chest several times. She wasn't angry at him. She just did not know how else to respond to this. He should not be want to kiss her and she should not be wishing he would kiss her.

"Stop it," she hissed, looking around frantically to make sure they had not been seen. She took some calming breaths and wiped her mouth, staring at him incredulously. "What is _wrong_ with you?"

The smirk on his face only increased her irritation. He seemed to be taking this all in stride. "There's nothing wrong with me, Weasley," he replied. "You're the one getting all pissy."

"I am not getting pissy!"

"SHHHH!" Madame Prince hissed, glaring hatefully at them. She did not even realize who it was she was shushing. "Pick up those books!"

Ginny quickly gathered them up and waited until the old woman slinked off, glowering and searching for any more infractions. When the lady was gone, Ginny slammed the books down on the counter and glared at Draco.

"I am _not_ going to become your little way to get close to Harry and the Order," she hissed and Draco raised an eyebrow. He honestly had not thought about that little bonus.

"I'm not interested in bloody Saint Potter and the rest of the sodding lot," he replied and she shook her head, starting to move past him. She knew exactly what he was interested in but did not wish to hear him say it.

"Then goodbye," she snapped.

She didn't get far.

Draco had her pinned against the shelf, books forgotten as well as all other sense of reason. They quickly became lost in their own passions as their bodies pressed heatedly against each other and their lips opened to more intimate gestures. Ginny trembled when their tongues brushed against each other before a sigh escaped her lips and she pulled away a little, eyes still closed as she tried to think through everything. It was obvious to her that they would never be able to get away from this situation so she gave up on trying to escape.

"We need to set boundaries," she whispered, gasping again when he tugged on her lip with his teeth before he began leaving a trail of kisses down her jaw line. The gesture was so un-Malfoy that she had to ask, "What is wrong with you?"

Her heart constricted painfully when he laughed and kissed her neck in very specific areas that caused her to lose her breath.

"I'm feeling adventurous," he murmured into her skin. She stifled a yelp when his hand moved further up her leg and grabbed her inner thigh suggestively. This was so very wrong.

"Are you sure you're Draco Malfoy?" she asked and he snorted.

"Well, if one of your boundaries includes no sex, then you'll never really find out," he replied and she smiled as he continued to kiss her neck.

"I suppose that's fortunate for me, then," she murmured. "I'd hate to be so terribly disappointed my first time."

Draco pulled away from her with a smirk on his face and Ginny's cheeks burned.

"You're a virgin?" he asked amusingly. When she nodded mutely, he looked her over carefully as he lowered his hands to her waist, holding her steady against him. At first she thought he might actually debase her further, but instead his eyes clouded over and he moved away from her fully, creating such a void between them that Ginny immediately felt the loss of him. She could see in his eyes that this had suddenly become serious and it was as if he finally realized what it was he was actually doing and who he was doing it with.

It was too late to go back and say that he was just trying to humiliate her or use her. He had given up too much of himself for that to be viable and she now had a way to blackmail him as well.

Unless of course….

"This was fun, Weasley," he muttered, turning to leave. Ginny jolted and grabbed his arm, causing him to become stiff.

"You're just leaving?"

"There's not much for us to talk about."

"We just kissed… again."

"So?"

It took Ginny a moment to realize what it was that he was doing. Like her, his fascination was quickly changing into something else and he was trying to get out before it manifested itself into a much greater passion.

Draco pulled away from her and tried to leave again but she took his face in her hands and kissed him quickly. When he began to kiss her back, she pulled away and looked him in the eyes.

"No sex," she whispered. "That's all I ask for… no sex…"

"Why?"

Ginny kissed him again, breathing deeply when she felt her heart pounding against her chest. This was beyond madness. This was beyond anything she had ever done before yet she could not help but feel that it was the only action left to take. To deny this would be torture for both of them at this point…

"It will ruin everything," she mumbled into his lips, stumbling back as he pressed her to him.

"Ruin everything?" he repeated and she pulled away to look at him for a moment before she carefully untangled herself and backed away, a smile coming to her face. She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and shrugged, unable to hide the giddiness from him. She looked over him with some eagerness as she left.

"It'd be a shame to ruin all of that with shagging," she told him with a wink, hurrying out of the library to avoid any more temptations he offered. "It would be a shame indeed."

**A/N: Sorry for the delay. Hope everything is okay and I hope you enjoy it. **

**NoReins94: **Thanks for the update. It's great hearing from you.

**AngeliqueBlack:** I hope it has not taken too long.

**Chapter Tease:**

_"What's wrong?"_

_Hermione shook her head, her eyes moving up to the stairs leading to the boys' dormitories. _

_"I just feel like something strange is going on."_

_"With Malfoy?"_

_Surprisingly, Hermione shook her head again, much to Harry's displeasure. _

_"No… not with Malfoy… with everything that's been going on." _


	11. Perhaps by Chance

_The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting._** -Sun Tzu**

* * *

For the rest of the week, Ginny was on edge. She felt as if she had just eaten from the tree and now God was silently biding his time before he ejected her from the garden. Or Gryffindor, in her case. When she caught sight of Draco, she would turn in the opposite direction and scurry off when possible and when she was with friends, she averted her eyes and kept moving, ignoring his piercing gaze and the sly smirk he carried in acknowledgement.

On several occasions, Harry or Hermione or even Neville had approached her about her odd behavior, none of them realizing that the situation involved the Slytherin Prince. His behavior remained the same; snide, entitled and completely unpleasant, while the amount of females he kept in his company increased two fold, indicating to Ginny that perhaps he was trying to get the entire incident off of his mind and mouth.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on how you looked at it, Ginny had no one to divert her memory from what had happened in the library and by the week's end, her nerves were shot from constant worrying that someone would come out of the woodwork, declaring that they had seen her with Malfoy.

Luna Lovegood had offered very little in the respect of helping Ginny with her issue. The girl had not told anyone after Ginny had unwittingly blurted it out on their way down to Hagrid's Hut on Thursday, but also gave Ginny no advice. She just smiled and told Ginny that it was good that she was moving on from Harry, which had made Ginny feel even worse about the whole situation.

Harry had been so incredibly wonderful to her and out of everyone in Hogwarts she could have moved on to, she picked the one person in the world that he would never accept. While she felt obligated to tell him especially about what had happened between her and Malfoy, she knew he would never forgive her unless the circumstances called for it. And she highly doubted the circumstances would _ever_ call for it.

So Ginny remained silent and fretful, wringing her hands and hoping to God that Malfoy would never take her up on their agreement and seek her out again.

"Thinking?"

Ginny looked up and smiled as Harry and Hermione entered the Gryffindor common room. Ron had yet to forgive Hermione for what she had said and was currently sulking up in the boys' dormitory with Neville and Seamus. Dean had joined them reluctantly after Ginny had told him that she needed to study and could not talk.

"Pondering," Ginny replied and Hermione frowned.

"That's the same thing, Ginny," she pointed out, sitting down and pulling out a huge tome.

"I know, Hermione, thank you." Ginny glanced down at her watch and frowned. "I thought you had rounds tonight."

Hermione shook her head and Ginny could tell something was bothering her and Harry. "Malfoy offered to take them."

Ginny frowned, glancing over at a fidgeting Harry. "And you let him?" she asked incredulously.

Hermione bit her lip and crossed her arms over her chest defensively. "He'd been skipping out on his rounds for the past week, so it was not like I could say no," she replied quickly. "He's still Head Boy."

"For reasons I can't understand," Harry muttered. "I bet you he's up to something."

Noticing Hermione's hesitation, Ginny leaned forward. "What's wrong?"

Hermione shook her head, her eyes moving up to the stairs leading to the boys' dormitories. "I just feel like something strange is going on."

"With Malfoy?"

Surprisingly, Hermione shook her head again, much to Harry's displeasure. "No… not with Malfoy… with everything that's been going on." She looked around the common room before she leaned in so that only Harry and Ginny could hear. "Voldemort has been silent for almost a month now and no one's spotted a Death Eater in London. All of the ghosts have left Hogwarts and Dumbledore's been practically absent since the first day… Even Peeves has been quiet."

Ginny frowned. "You don't think something bad is going to happen, do you?" she asked and Hermione shrugged, leaning back in her chair.

"I don't know what is going to happen," she whispered. "I just know that something's a bit off. Perhaps…"

When she trailed off, Ginny and Harry looked up to see her staring at the stairs. They turned to see Ron coming down with Neville beside him. When he noticed Hermione, his ears became red but his eyes darkened and he quickly left the common room. Neville waved a hello, but followed him out as well. Harry turned back to see that Hermione had tears in her eyes and he took her hand, giving it a comforting squeeze.

"It'll be fine, Hermione," he murmured. "Just wait. He'll come around."

Ginny watched the two whisper to each other for a while before she sighed and put her stuff away. She was still hungry at this point and decided to make a quick trip down to the kitchens. Perhaps the house elves would make something for her. "I'll see you two later," she said and Hermione looked up.

"Where are you going?" she asked, noting the time quickly.

"Out."

Harry snorted at the comment but after a look from Hermione, he remained out of the conversation.

"It's late," Hermione observed after glancing down at her watch.

"Ron and Neville just left and I didn't see you make a big deal out of it," Ginny snapped, placing her stuff in a corner for her to retrieve when she returned. "I'll only be a minute."

Hermione bit her lip. "Just try to be back here before the curfew," she advised. "Malfoy seemed a bit eager to dole out points and I'm sure he'll be watching the clock closely."

Ginny shrugged. "I'll be fine," she said over her shoulder before she walked out of the common room. She swiftly made her way down to the kitchens, stopping only to talk with a particularly friendly portrait of a fat, old woman she had met several years earlier. When she finally reached the kitchens, it was very close to curfew and she knew she would have to be careful on her way back.

"I just want a sandwich," she told a very enthusiastic elf as she stood by a cluttered counter. House elves were milling about, wiping things down and putting them in proper order while others were watching Ginny closely.

"Winny has some pies and cakes leftover as well," the elf insisted, taking Ginny's hand and leading her towards the back of the kitchens where the left over food was stored. "Pies and cakes for Ms. Weasley?"

"No, Winny. I just want a sandwich," Ginny repeated. "_Just_ a sandwich. Nothing more."

After a little more encouragement and correcting, Winny the house elf finally brought Ginny a sandwich, hovering around anxiously while Ginny ate it at a small table. Ginny tried to assure the little elf that the food was perfect, enlisting the help of a more seasoned kitchen worker to persuade Winny to calm down and let her be. Ginny was actually beginning to enjoy herself when voices from the front of the kitchen drew her attention.

"Bloody house elves! Can't you get anything right?"

"Pansy, try to use your inside voice. I may be Head Boy, but this is very much not allowed by anyone," a more controlled drawl reached Ginny's ears and caused her heart to leap to her throat. Biting her lip, she peered around the corner to see Draco standing in the corner of the kitchen, watching expressionlessly as Pansy harassed the house elves. Vincent Crabbe was standing further back, feasting on four different cakes with Gregory Goyle while Blaise Zabini was lurking closer to where Ginny was, eyes flashing repeatedly to the entrance.

Ginny cursed her luck for being trapped in the kitchens with frightened house elves and a group of Slytherins, most of whom would readily hurt her at a moment's glance.

"I told you I wanted a sandwich," Pansy snapped, shoving one of the elves aside. "I'll do it myself if you want."

Winny, not understanding the severity of the situation, bounded over with a smile, offering the exact same sandwich Ginny had just eaten.

"Ms. Parkinson! Here! A sandwich!"

Ginny released a yelp when Pansy snatched the plate out of Winny's tiny hands and slammed it down on the poor thing's head. While the others did not notice, Zabini did and turned around in time to see her disappear behind a cabinet, clamping her hand over her mouth to avoid any other outburst.

"Bloody hell, Parkinson," Goyle barked. "What the hell was that for?"

Several other house elves ran out to gather up the unconscious elf, dragging her into another room while others picked up the broken pieces of plate. A dark silence fell over the kitchen and Ginny almost believed they had left before Zabini appeared in front of her, eyes wandering over her face stoically. Her eyes widened at being found and she pressed herself up against the wall while her fingers curled around her wand in preparation.

"Zabini," she heard Pansy call out irritably. "Where the hell are you?"

Ginny's eyes were locked with the Slytherin's, silently pleading for him not to say anything about her presence. She knew little of Zabini save that he hated all things not pureblood or Slytherin. She had only one thing going for her, though she doubted that would appeal to him.

She heard movement from the front of the kitchens. "What are you looking at?" Pansy demanded further away and Zabini looked over at her, his eyes darkening significantly.

"Nothing of any importance to me," he responded evenly, moving away from his spot and disappearing altogether. There was another silence and then Ginny heard Draco speak.

"Thanks to Parkinson, I think we've overstayed our welcome," he commented, turning to leave.

"I didn't get my-"

"NOW!"

Ginny bit her lip at the force of his command and she waited until she was sure she was alone before coming out of her hiding spot, confused and pained at what had happened. She went into the adjacent room and found two house elves tending to Winny, who was still unconscious.

"Is she okay?" she asked quietly and the older of the elves looked up.

"Fine, fine. Winny should not have interrupted Ms. Parkinson," he snapped and Ginny shook her head.

"Parkinson should not have attacked Winny," she said. She pulled off one of her bracelets and handed it to the elf. The elf staunchly refused and Ginny sighed. "It's not a freedom offering or anything. I just want her to know I'm sorry. She doesn't have to wear it if she doesn't want to."

The two elves exchanged looks before the younger one reluctantly took it and tucked it under the pillow they had placed Winny on, making sure it could not be seen. Satisfied with this, Ginny got up and left, looking around carefully before she made her way up to the Gryffindor common room.

"Why don't you go jerk off with your mates over there and give Parkinson a break, Malfoy."

Ginny stopped when she heard the familiar aggressive tones of her brother, looking around to see where it was coming from. Locating the sound, she hurried along the corridor until she reached the intersection where her brother and Neville were facing Malfoy and the other Slytherins.

"Impressive, Weasely. I think that's the most original thing you've said since I met you," Malfoy replied.

"It's Weasley, Ferret," Ron growled and Malfoy snorted.

"At least your description is accurate. I know _my_ family doesn't breed like rodents," he sneered. All except Zabini sniggered at the comment while Ron looked ready to attack the Slytherin. Ginny decided that now would be the best time to interject before her brother lost them all of their House points and got himself in detention for the rest of the year.

"Ron, what's going on?" she cut in, hurrying over to his side and grabbing his arm. "Come on, let's go. It's past curfew," she added quietly so that only he could hear.

"Getting rescued by baby sister, Weasley?" Crabbe jeered and Ginny turned around to face him.

"Dropped a pair, Crabbe?" she retorted heatedly. "That's the first statement I've heard you say that didn't require the use of some."

Malfoy raised an eyebrow at her comment, trying to hide the smirk on his face as he approached her.

"That's rich coming from a little sixth year that scampers off at the sight of a Slytherin," he said, causing her ears to burn from the implication. His eyes darted over to Neville, who was watching her with concern. "Did _you_ drop the pair Longbottom never had?"

Ginny's eyes flashed down to his lips before they narrowed.

"Why don't you grow a pair and find out," she whispered before backing away and grabbing her brother's arm. "Come on, Neville. This isn't worth a detention."

"I'll deal with you soon, Weasley," Pansy called out, her eyes blazing with barely controlled hatred for the beautiful, young redhead. Ginny glanced over her shoulder and looked between her and Malfoy, a smirk coming to her face.

"Malfoy, I think your pet needs to be taught a new trick. Heel!"

Ron and Neville burst out in laughter while Pansy's outrage reached whole new heights.

"You TRAMP!"

The three Gryffindors hurried off before the irate female could do anything dangerous and she was about to start off in their direction when Draco grabbed her arm in a bruising grip and pulled her back towards him as he began walking towards the Slytherin common room. The others followed at a very safe distance while Zabini disappeared altogether. Not that Draco cared. He did not need him around anyway.

"Pansy, one of these days, you're going to realize the importance of being patient," he growled, tightening his grip when she tried to pull away.

"But-"

He stopped and looked down at her. "Do you know why we are not attacking people?" he asked calmly. Pansy tried to temper her gaze, but the anger that was burning inside of her was fueled by his lack of reaction to what the Gryffindors had said. "Those Gryffindors-"

Draco's fingers curled around her neck and he slammed her into a wall. He leaned in to her ear so that only she could hear. "I am trying to control a House," he snarled. "I am trying to destroy the integrity of this establishment and you are _ruining_ it with your personal vendetta with that stupid, insignificant Weasley." When she tried to get away, he shoved her head against the wall, stunning her effectively. "I will not allow you to destroy my plans so if you have to suck it up, then suck it up, but if you so much as _touch_ that Weasley, I will destroy you."

Pansy remained by the wall when Draco walked off, followed closely by Goyle. Crabbe remained behind, watching Pansy nervously as she recovered. She was quiet for a moment, straightening her hair and her robes. Composing herself properly, she began to walk down the corridor, grinding her teeth furiously as Crabbe followed at a safe distance behind her.

"I am going to kill that little bitch," she growled.

"Draco said-"

"I DON'T CARE WHAT DRACO SAID!" she screeched, rounding on Crabbe, eyes enflamed with rage. "That slag has continuously embarrassed me in front of everyone in Slytherin and I haven't been able to do a God damned thing! It's as if Malfoy wants to protect that whore!"

"He just wants to make sure things don't go wrong," Crabbe mumbled. "He wants things to be perfect."

"HANG PERFECT!" Pansy screamed before moving in on Crabbe so that their faces were close and he could see the demons wrestling within her eyes. "Mark my words, I will handle Weasley the way I want to and I don't give a rat's arse what Draco has to say about it."

* * *

"Why is it that every time I get a letter from Remus, it's never good news?" Harry asked as he and Ron made their way down to the Quidditch pitch. He was fingering two pages of parchment in his hands and would occasionally read over them again.

"What does it say?"

"Something about three people going missing," Harry said and Ron frowned.

"I thought you said that the Death Eaters weren't doing anything."

Harry glanced over to his friend. "I said Hermione said that Death Eaters weren't doing anything," he corrected, causing Ron's eyes to darken. Harry frowned at this. "Ron, you need to talk to her. She's a mess."

"I've nothing to say to her."

"Ron-"

"Harry! Ron! Hurry up!" Ginny yelled from the pitch. She was already dressed for practice along with the other two Chasers and Beaters. "Come on!"

Ron glowered at her and picked up his pace, ignoring the look on Harry's face. "Leave it be, Harry," he said over his shoulder. "If Hermione wants to talk to me then she can."

Ginny watched Ron pass her before she turned to Harry, holding up the Quaffle. "What's wrong with him?"

"Hermione."

"Oh."

Five minutes later they were all up in the air and running drills, with Ron at the goal posts and doing a great job at blocking shots. The first half of practice was actually going pretty well until observers began to filter in to the stadium. There were about ten of them, mostly friends of the players. Luna was the first to arrive, carrying a new edition of the Quibbler and setting herself down in the Gryffindor stands, ignoring the practice as she laughed at something she read. A couple of tiny first year girls came to watch, pointing at Harry frequently as they whispered amongst themselves. Hermione arrived a little later with three other girls, sitting in the corner of the stands and watching Ron anxiously from where she sat. For a while he managed to ignore her, but as time went on, it became obvious that her presence was bothering him. He began missing some shots and would occasionally become agitated at whoever threw the Quaffle, making Harry nervous as well. He knew Ron's temper and if things continued to go downhill like this, Ron could quite possibly hurt someone.

"Ron!" Harry barked when Ron lobbed the Quaffle at one of the other Chasers and hit the boy, Oliver Pendal in the shoulder. "Watch it!"

"Piss off, Harry," Ron retorted and Ginny flew over.

"Ron, get your head out of your arse and pay attention," she snapped. "You missed two easy shots back there."

"HEADS UP!"

They all turned and moved in time to avoid the Quaffle that flew past them and right out of the stadium. Harry rounded on the Beater who had done it.

"What the bloody hell was that?" he demanded, forgetting his irritation with Ron. "You could have hurt one of us!"

"Well, Weasley better get it together or I'm going to hurt him!" the large boy snarled from his broom. "I'm not going to finish this year watching Slytherin get that sodding Cup because Weasley can't stop ogling his damn girlfriend."

"She's not my girlfriend and you better keep your mouth shut!" Ron responded quickly, his eyes blazing. "Or I'll knock you off your broom with that thing!"

"Come over here and try it, Weasley," the boy growled, hefting the bat up menacingly. Ginny glanced over at Harry and motioned towards the woods.

"I'll go get the Quaffle," she mumbled and he shot her a look.

"Coward," he hissed as she flew off, thankful to be rid of the entire situation. She did not understand how her brother could be so thick sometimes, but preferred to be out of his way when he was in a mood. Lately they tended to be rather physical.

She landed in the woods just beyond the pitch and looked around the area she remembered seeing the Quaffle fly to. It was hard to move around with all of her gear on, but she managed to get a few meters before she was stopped.

"Looking for this?" Ginny turned around to see Draco step out from behind a tree with the Quaffle in his hand. "I'm pretty sure you're supposed to keep this on the pitch," he added and she grabbed it from him.

"And I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to be out here," she replied, pulling wet leaves and twigs off of the ball. "If any Gryffindor caught you spying, it'd be the end of you."

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to be the end of me?" he asked curiously and she blushed, looking up at him. It may have been asked in a flippant manner, but the question itself contained more than the smirk on Draco's face and she was no longer comfortable with it.

"I'm leaving," she answered, heading back to where she had left her broom. "I suggest you do the same."

Draco watched her move around in her uniform and snorted. "It wasn't like there was much to see, Weasley," he commented, walking over to where she was. "You lot didn't seem to have it all together."

"You're not supposed to be spying," Ginny snapped, genuinely angry that he had been watching. Quidditch was important to her.

"Spy on what? The special skills your oaf of a brother has at _not_ protecting the bloody goals?" he asked incredulously and she rolled her eyes, getting on her broom.

"Don't you have a tart to shag?" she asked and he smirked.

"Not until six," he answered. "I'm free until then," he added and she fixed him with a look of frustration.

"Malfoy, please," she whispered. "What happened in the library was… _nice_ at best, but I suggest you find some other Gryffindor girl to harass. I'm not… give that back!" Ginny made a lunge for her broom but his long arms kept it out of her grasp and after a couple more attempts she gave up and glared at him. "This is a little juvenile, don't you think?"

Draco smirked and leaned in, stealing a kiss which she readily responded to, dropping the Quaffle and taking his face in her gloved hands. They kissed for a moment before she pulled away a little and glared at him.

"This doesn't mean I appreciate you spying on us," she snapped, smiling when he kissed her again.

"I don't really care what you appreciate, Weasley," he replied into her lips, pulling her broom away and pushing her up against a nearby tree. Her uniform became a problem when they both tried to deepen the kiss and when he tried to undo her vest, she started laughing, kissing the corner of his lips before she bent down and grabbed her broom and the Quaffle.

"You've never done this with a girl in uniform, have you?" she asked, turning to face him with a grin. Draco leaned in and captured her lips once again.

"You're the first one I've had trouble getting clothes off of," he whispered into her ear, moving past her up the hill. "Most girls just take them off before I can get two words in."

"You're life must be so difficult," she said, getting on her broom. He just waved his hand in acknowledgement, but did not bother looking back at her as she flew out of the woods, carrying the Quaffle back to the pitch, where the entire team was now on the ground. It seemed as if they were all facing off, or rather it seemed as if Ron and the Beater were facing off. Hermione was also there with Luna and the two small first years, watching Ron fearfully.

"Why don't you shove that broom up your arse, Decklan," Ron shot. The only thing holding him back from doing physical harm to the boy was Harry, who was holding tightly to the redhead's uniform and frequently pulling him away.

"Ron, leave it alone!" Harry growled.

Ron's eyes flashed. "No, I won't. The sod has something to say about me, then he can say it and then I'll hand his bullocks to him."

Richard Decklan, the source of Ron's ire, only fueled the fire. "I'm not the one hiding behind Potter's skirt," he sneered.

"Ron, stop it!" Hermione screamed just as the redhead shoved Harry harshly out of the way and nailed Decklan with the hardest punch anyone had ever seen. Everyone watched in shock as Ron leaned down in Decklan's face, eyes burning with hate.

"Call me a coward, one more time," he snarled. "And I'll do more than just give you a bloody shiner."

They watched him walk off the pitch before Demelza Robins and the other Beater tried to help Decklan off the ground. He shoved them away and got up himself, looking soundly humiliated with the turn of events.

"What are you all looking at?" he demanded.

Harry stepped forward. "Decklan-"

"Piss off, Potter," Decklan snarled, glaring at the boy. "It's your fault for allowing him on the team in the first place. You may be screwing his sister, but that doesn't mean you're obligated to let the tosser on the team."

Ginny' s eyes widened and she pushed her way through the crowd, shoving Decklan hatefully. "You're the tosser," she hissed. "_No one_ is screwing me!"

Decklan ignored her, pointing at Potter.

"Why don't you chain your little pets, Potter!" he yelled. "If one more bloody Weasley puts their hands on me then I'm going to have the whole lot of them expelled!"

Harry motioned off the field.

"Get off the pitch, Decklan," he advised warningly. "Get off, now!"

Along with Decklan, the other team members, excluding Ginny, left the pitch as well as other bystanders, leaving Harry behind with Ginny, a tearful Hermione and Luna. Ginny looked between them all, unsure of how a stray Quaffle had ignited such a horrible explosion. Decklan and Ron had gotten along quite well before this.

"What the hell just happened?"

* * *

By the time dinner came around, every student had heard about the incident down at the Quidditch pitch with the Gryffindor team. Up at the table, Professor McGonagall was watching the Gryffindor table carefully with a stern look on her face. Her presence indicated one of four things to the students of Gryffindor. Either she had not heard about what had happened on the Quidditch pitch, which seemed unlikely, she had already found Ron and given him detention, she was biding her time to give Ron detention or, and this one seemed most likely, she had been unable to locate Ron.

The other Houses were constantly glancing over to where Harry was sitting with the other seventh years, crouched miserably over his food as he ignored the gazes. Hermione sat beside him, staring blankly at the spot Ron should have been occupying beside his sister. Further down the table, Richard Decklan was talking heatedly with some of his friends, sporting a black eye and a furious look.

"He wasn't kidding about having Ron expelled, Harry," Neville said, glancing over at the angry Beater anxiously. "His dad's the Minister of Finances at the Ministry of Magic and has a lot of leverage in the Ministry. He may be in Gryffindor, but he's got a little sister in Slytherin and his entire family are a bunch of pureblood elitists."

Parvati Patil stared at him incredulously. "How could you possibly know that?" she questioned and his ears reddened.

"He was reelected over the summer and my Gran talked about him a lot."

Harry sighed, running his hands through his hair. "I don't want to talk about this right now," he muttered miserably and Ginny reached out and took his hand comfortingly.

"It's going to be fine, Harry," she said. "It was just a bad practice, that's all. Everyone has them."

Harry shrugged. "I just hope it never happens again," he responded. "Warrington's been going on all day that the entire thing was an insight into how hypocritical we all are for fighting amongst ourselves like that."

Ginny released his hand and glanced over his shoulder to see that Warrington was still talking loudly about the event earlier. She wrinkled her nose in disgust at how the Slytherins all howled in laughter at his jeering. Her eyes wandered a little down the table to where Draco was listening to the large boy quietly, a smirk on his face as he entertained three young fifth years who were drooling all over him. Pansy was sitting right beside him, kissing his ear. For a moment, a twinge of hatred shot through Ginny when the raven headed girl whispered something into his ear and his smirk widened.

"Do you wonder what would happen if someone cut off his penis?"

"Ginny!" Hermione gasped while every boy at the table spit out their food and drink, staring at her with wide, shocked eyes. Realizing that she had asked the question aloud, Ginny's entire face grew red.

"Oh… um… I didn't say that out loud, did I?" she asked.

"Who were you talking about?" Dean asked cautiously as he scooted away from her a little. Ginny tucked some hair behind her ear and got up quickly.

"Warrington, who else?" she replied before turning and walking out of the Great Hall, hurrying up the stairs to begin her search for her brother. She checked all of the obvious places just in case he had managed to hide from the watchful view of McGonagall, who had no doubt been looking for him since this afternoon. She knew he must have been seething from his encounter with Decklan, but she wanted to know if he was okay.

Finally she found him in a stairwell near the DADA room, staring at the ground as he dragged his wand along the stone, causing sparks to fly. Biting her lip, she approached him carefully, leaning against the wall a couple of meters away from him while she contemplated her next words. The look on his face told her that he had already gotten past the regret of his actions and was now in the stage where he was contemplating why he had not yet been given detention.

"Hermione's worried sick about you," she whispered. He did not respond and she frowned. "Ron, you should really talk to her."

"I just earned myself a month's worth of detention and you're worried about Hermione?" he asked incredulously and she sat down beside him, watching anxiously as he continued to doodle on the ground with his wand.

"She may have been wrong about what she said, but that doesn't mean she can't be worried about you," she murmured and he snorted.

"I really don't care, Ginny," he muttered and she sighed, clasping her hands together and craning her neck to look up the stairs.

"How long have you been here?"

"Since I left the pitch."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"And McGonagall hasn't found you?"

"No."

Ginny frowned. "Where do these stairs lead?"

Ron shrugged, looking up as well. "I think it's a storage area."

"Oh..."

They were quiet for a moment before Ginny rested her head on her knees and looked at him. His eyes were dark and clouded, as if he were no longer there with her. In the past couple of years, Ginny had noticed a steadily growing cloud of darkness appear over Ron, which had become more obvious since his incident with some Death Eaters towards the end of his sixth year. She had not been there, but Hermione had and had told her everything she needed to know to understand Ron's sudden change in demeanor.

_He killed a man_, Hermione had said through tears.

Of course Ron had never talked about it, even with Remus, whom he had spent some time with over the summer.

Now, he was becoming more aggressive and sensitive to everything around him.

"Ron," she whispered. "That man you killed-"

"Well, well, well, what have we here? Two poor weasels hiding under a stairwell."

Ginny's eyes narrowed immediately as she saw Warrington enter the area beneath the stairs, accompanied by five very eager Slytherins. Didn't any of them get tired of harassing Gryffindors?

"Piss off, Warrington," she snapped as Ron tensed beside her upon realizing they were outnumbered. "We're not bothering anyone."

Warrington wrinkled his nose at her and held up his chin. "It's more your basic existence above anything else that bothers me, Weasley," he sneered. "You're a disgrace to your kind."

Ron snorted, standing up. "I don't know why you're talking, Warrington," he responded. "I heard you weren't even a real pureblood."

There was a dissenting rumble from behind Warrington and his eyes blazed furiously. How was it that Weasley knew about this? The only ones who could have possibly known were Slytherins… unless...

"What are you lot doing out here?" Ron and Ginny frowned upon hearing Hermione's voice. She appeared a moment later, still not realizing that the two Gryffindors were there.

"This place is off limits to students, now push off before I take away points," she ordered. While older, she by no means had the physical capability to threaten the very large Slytherins and she quickly realized this when one of them advanced on her. She whipped out her wand and pointed it at him. "I said push off, before I take points and give the rest of you detention."

Warrington motioned to where Ginny and Ron were standing. "Then I suppose you'd have to give us _all_ detention," he growled and her eyes widened slightly before she softened her gaze a little for Ginny.

"You two shouldn't be here," she told them calmly, still keeping a wary eye on the itchy Slytherin in the corner. "I'll have to dock points if you don't leave."

Ron did not move, his dark eyes also on the boy in the corner, who was slowly inching towards Hermione. "I'll leave after they leave," he replied warningly and Warrington laughed.

"Protecting the little Mudblood prude?"

Ron was about to attack the boy when Ginny grabbed his arm and shook her head. "Don't," she whispered. "You're in enough trouble as it is."

Warrington raised an eyebrow at the action and looked around at his cohorts. "Look boys," he jeered. "It appears the Weasel doesn't like my choice in description for the Head Girl?" He tilted his head to the side in mock thoughtfulness and then snapped his fingers. "I know. Perhaps calling her a Mudblood prude was a bit too harsh. I suppose the Mudblood bitch with a sphincter the size of a raisin is a bit more appropriate, though I suppose on a special occasion, she's willing to loosen it up just for you, Weasley."

"RON!"

* * *

Draco's eyes had been drawn to Ginny's movements when she had gotten up to leave the Great Hall. He had caught the look of irritation she had thrown his way and inwardly, he rejoiced in her thinking of him. Outwardly, he turned his gaze away from the Gryffindor table towards the his own, watching Warrington as he regaled the younger Slytherins with talk of illegal duels and specters in the dark. Ridiculous tales that at one point in time even Draco had allowed himself to believe. Serves them right for trusting the word of a fellow Slytherin.

Draco snorted at the thought of trust. It's the one thing everyone wants but the first thing broken when in the Slytherin House. Snakes everyone, Draco never found a single person he could count on, save Goyle, and even then he rarely gave the large boy the full picture so as to retain some control.

Gregory Goyle was fiercely loyal, there was no doubt in Draco's mind about that. But the slow and weak minded were still casualties to Voldemort's powers and Draco knew there would come a time when he could no longer protect Goyle's mind from it.

For now, Draco would have to trust that Goyle remained within the lower ranks of Voldemort's unsightly little army, just close enough to get some important information, but not too close that the Dark Lord would be inclined to read the boy's subconscious. There was only so much the brain could take before it cracked. Longbottom's parents were a testament to that.

A shift to Draco's right brought him out of his revere in time to see Warrington get up with a malicious sneer on his face and head out of the Great Hall with five meatheads that Draco detested.

"What's he up to?" he asked quietly and Pansy's eyes glinted knowingly.

"Probably off to deflower some helpless girl," she replied. "God help her."

Draco raised an eyebrow and looked over at Pansy. "God help her?"

Pansy shrugged.

"Warrington isn't to good with the whole self-control thing," she told him, examining her nails fretfully. "It's hard enough when you're experienced. A virgin would be scarred for life."

Draco was unsure of how he felt about her veiled confession. He was fully aware that he was not the only one she was spending her nights with, but rarely did she mention it in front of him unless she was trying to make a point.

"What Cole does with his dick doesn't concern me, Pansy," he commented, his eyes catching Granger get up and leave the Gryffindor table.

_Where the hell was everyone going?_

"It will when it becomes a distraction," Pansy pointed out and he sighed.

"Then I'll deal with it."

Pansy rolled her eyes but he ignored it, focusing his attention on a Ravenclaw further down near the doors. Something was off about the boy, but Draco could not quite place the expression on his face. He watched as the tall, unwieldy boy made his way down the table to where a group of girls were sitting, giggling and talking amongst themselves. Draco's curiosity piqued when the boy tapped one of the girls on the shoulder, catching her attention and causing the other girls to exchange nervous glances. Apparently they knew something was off as well. The two Ravenclaws talked for a moment and then the girl's eyes widened and filled with tears as her palm made a very loud contact with the boy's face. To the surprise of everyone in the vicinity, the offending Ravenclaw boy grabbed the girl, yanked her out of her seat and began snogging her in front of everyone.

"What the bloody hell?" Draco grumbled while another Ravenclaw boy, a much older, larger boy, yelled out a much more offensive word that attracted the attention of the rest of the Hall. The boy charged the Casanova, tackling him to the ground and punching him repeatedly in the face while what Draco guessed to be his girlfriend screamed for him to continue. It took Draco a moment to realize that he would have to break up the fray, seeing as Granger had left only moments earlier and after bemoaning his position, he stood up and slowly made his way over to the gathering crowd.

"Oy! OY!" he barked. "BREAK IT UP!"

As he tried to stop what was going on, he suddenly recognized the boy being pounded and frowned. Never in his years at Hogwarts had he seen that boy do a single thing out of place. What would possess him to incur the wrath of a fellow House member?

**A/N:** **Sorry it took so long to get it out. **

**AngeliqueBlack: **Thanks! I hope you liked this one and the next one as well.

**NoReins94: **I'm glad you're enjoying the romance/affair. I'm enjoying writing it.


	12. Black and Blue

_Other things may change us, but we start and end with the family._ **-Anthony Brandt**

* * *

In the passing weeks of September and the first half of October, it became increasingly obvious that something was happening that was not only affecting the Gryffindor House. Ravenclaw also had issues with several of its students arguing amongst themselves while the Hufflepuff Quidditch practices became entertainment for Slytherins who snuck in to watch them fight. Ron had been reprimanded thoroughly by Professor McGonagall as well as sent three nasty Howlers from his mother before he was suspended from the Quidditch team indefinitely and was given detention until the end of December. This of course, prompted some ill will among the Gryffindors as well. One Ravenclaw had already been expelled for attacking a fellow House member after a heated fight which ended in the other student's hospitalization at St. Mungos. Dumbledore made several speeches stressing the point of House unity, unfortunately being forced to use the Slytherins as an example, seeing as they were the only ones who had not yet lost their heads.

Outside the walls of Hogwarts, the war was beginning to brew again as Death Eater activities increased. The Ministry had twenty-four hour security and the Order was working overtime to figure out what was really going on with Voldemort. Remus rarely wrote Harry anymore, stating in his last letter that it was too dangerous and he would not be able to give the young man any more pertinent information. Tonks visited occasionally to assure Harry that his father's friend was alright, but after a while Harry and Ron began to suspect that she was trying to convince herself of that fact rather than them. Harry's attention began to focus on Slytherin again, knowing that they were up to something sinister.

Ron and Hermione were now on speaking terms again, much to the relief of the rest of Gryffindor, though most of them thought Harry forced Ron to speak to her just to prove to the Slytherins that not all hope was lost. While they rarely spoke to each other when Harry was not around, Hermione was okay with the idle chatter they exchanged in the Great Hall or in the common room. At least he was talking to her.

As for Ginny, the past weeks had been very unusual to say the least. Along with trying to help Harry in his mission to expose the Slytherin house, she had also been exploring one of its members. She saw Malfoy about once a week and for the most part, all they did was talk. Primarily about school and certain people that they hated in the school. She made sure to avoid conversations about Harry and he was certain to keep away from the subject of his parents and Death Eaters in general. Their physical contact remained very limited, leaving their encounter in the library as a distant memory. Ginny was surprised by how controlled Draco was when it came to that aspect of their little affair, but she never mentioned it. As long as he kept his hands where they belonged, they never had a problem.

"Why do you keep Cole Warrington around?" she asked one time while flipping through her Potions book. They were out by the lake, shielded by evergreens and browning trees as they spoke. It had been their primary place of meeting, other than the Astronomy Tower at night, mostly because every other place had the propensity to be populated by some stray student or Head Girl.

Malfoy looked down at her from where he stood and tilted his head to the side. "Why? Does he scare you?" he asked and she shrugged.

"I was just wondering," she replied. "He's not the most stable of persons." When she realized what he had asked, she looked up at him. "Would you do something if he scared me?"

He shook his head and looked back out to the lake. "No."

It was an honest answer. Somewhat unnerving, but honest nonetheless.

"That's comforting."

"He knows not to touch you."

"Because of this?"

Malfoy snorted and turned to face her fully. "Because attacking Weasleys seems to incite a feeling of unified hatred within the Gryffindors and I'd hate for that to happen with all that's been going on lately," he replied and she closed her Potions book, watching him carefully. This had been another topic both of them had not talked about and it had started to bug her.

"You're not causing all of this, are you?" she asked and he squatted down in front of her, his face very close to hers.

"If I was?"

Ginny bit her lip at the question. While she enjoyed spending time with him, neither of them felt the sort of commitment or emotions strong enough to prevent them from turning on a moment's notice. Ginny's obligations to her House were much stronger than his were, despite her current situation.

"Are you causing it?" she repeated and he smirked, leaning in and kissing her quickly before he stood up again.

"No," he answered, gathering up his things and heading out of the enclosed area. Ginny quickly shoved her books in her bag and hurried after him.

"A lot of people think Warrington's doing it," she told him quietly. "He's been around when a lot of the fights start."

In all honesty, Malfoy had not thought too much about the events happening in the other Houses. Along with trying to make sure that his unorthodox excursions with Weasley were not discovered, he was dealing with some family issues that took priority over the silly squabbles Warrington claimed to be engineer of. His father, whom he had not seen since his sixth year, was now writing him under a different name and frequently threatening him to take the Dark Mark. His mother was doing the same in a more subtle and more menacing manner, giving hints that it was not only in his best interest to do so, but that the Dark Lord himself had requested it happen before the end of the year.

That would take priority in anyone's mind if accompanied by poisoned chocolate frogs and a post script stating that someone close to him was a traitor.

Paranoia was a _very_ strong feeling.

However, if Warrington _was_ responsible for all of the fighting, then Draco would have to rethink his whole opinion of the boy. His track record for impressing Draco had been slowly dwindling and the idea of Zabini replacing him was starting to cross Draco's mind, but Zabini had not been very present lately, showing up only when Warrington made a fool of himself, which had become rarer with the passing days.

Perhaps Warrington was worth his position after all.

"Loyalty is crucial at this point," he murmured and she frowned.

"Even if he's a psychotic sadist?"

Draco almost smiled at the statement. Apparently her opinion of the sixth year mirrored many others. "He's not that dangerous."

Ginny snorted. "Well, I suppose he wouldn't be, seeing as everyone save a few, are terrified of you," she whispered, turning to face him. He smirked, eyeing her with a look that made her stomach melt and her spine tingle. Leaning in, he captured her lips in a quick kiss, forcing her to drop her things.

"It's good to be on top," he whispered and she grinned.

"Is that some sort of hint?" she asked coyly, moving closer as his arms encircled her. "Because it is, I might just have to rethink this whole sex thing."

Malfoy kissed her again, backing her up into a tree and pinning her there. "Take it how you will, Weasley," he answered. "I just think it's good to be on top."

Ginny ran a hand up and down his arm, thinking about their previous conversation. Of all the Slytherins, Parkinson was the one she hated the most, but Warrington was the one she went out of her way to avoid. He was much too unwieldly in her opinion and she did not trust Malfoy to do anything about it. His priorities were not necessarily cohesive with hers.

"If Warrington puts a hand on me, I'm going to cut his bullocks off," she muttered and Malfoy snorted, leaning in and kissing her right under the ear.

"If he touches you, I'll do the pleasure myself," he murmured into her skin, causing her to shudder. Perhaps his priorities weren't as off as she would have thought. She turned her head and kissed his lips for a moment before she pulled away and leaned back on the tree, running her fingers up and down his arm again. Her eyes followed the movement and then she realized something.

"You don't have a Mark," she murmured and he frowned.

"No I don't," he replied coolly and she blushed, realizing what she must have sounded like.

"I just meant that… well… never mind, but… I was just wondering," she mumbled, resting her hand over the spot where the mark should have been. "Why not?"

"Excuse me?" This time he sounded insulted and she smiled, looking up into his beautiful grey eyes.

"I know several students in Slytherin have the Dark Mark, Malfoy," she whispered. "Why don't you? I mean, it would seem like an obvious thing for you to have… if you don't mind my saying so."

"I do mind," Draco responded, watching her hand move up and down his arm again. "I mind a lot."

"But-"

"I don't have the Mark because I choose not to have the Mark," he told her quickly. "I see no reason to give my allegiance to a being so far removed from reality that he's bent on ruling the world."

Ginny frowned. "But you're not with the Order either?"

Draco snorted at the mention of the group. "I have no interest in helping Potter either," he sneered. "If he wants to be savior of the universe, good for him. It's always good to have at least one unrealistic goal. Part of the human condition, I suppose, just leave me out of it."

"So you haven't chosen a side?"

Rolling his eyes, Draco kissed her swiftly on the lips. "In war there's only one side that really matters and that's the winning side," he told her matter-of-factly. "When one side wins, I'll pick one then."

Even then, however, she could see that talk of the Dark Mark unnerved him. His pulse seemed to quicken beneath her touch and his eyes were unsettled. The idea of sustaining such a tattoo and therefore be a drone in the army of Voldemort did not sit easy with Draco. He did not like being controlled, which was why he kept his position at Slytherin so well intact so as not to incite unrest. Power was the key to survival. The moment you lose power, in any sense of the word, you become dispensable.

Draco was not dispensable.

"Ahem."

The two looked up to see Goyle standing near a tree, looking down at his shoes and shifting dirt around uncomfortably. Ginny coughed and ducked under Malfoy's arm, grabbing her bag quickly and hurrying out of the trees on her way up to the castle. She had known that Goyle had known about them for a while, but she did not like to stay around when the boy approached them when they were together. It normally meant something was happening, either in Hogwarts or in the Death Eater world. Either way, she was uncomfortable seeing Malfoy's eyes darken and become unapproachable. It was the exact same way they became before he reprimanded Parkinson and she had no interest in being treated the same way.

"There you are," Ron called out when she reached the common room. He, Harry, Dean, Seamus and Neville were sitting on the couches. Hermione was nowhere to be found. Ginny caught the glance Dean and Seamus shared and bit her lip. Ever since she and Malfoy had become… _involved_, Dean had begun to show more interest in her and while she had managed to avoid it, she became increasingly aware of the fact that he was very adamant about making it work this time.

"What's going on?" she asked, sitting down next to Harry. "Where's Hermione?"

Ron tensed a little at the question but he answered nonetheless. "Dumbledore called her up to his office and they're trying to find Malfoy," he answered and Ginny's heart jumped. "Waste of time, if you ask me."

Ginny frowned, glancing around. "Why?"

Harry looked up at her quickly. "Because Malfoy's probably the one who caused it."

Ginny was confused now. "Caused what?" she asked.

Dean gave her a strange look. "You don't know?" he asked and Ginny fixed him with a look of agitation.

"If I knew, I wouldn't ask," she snapped and all of them stared at her.

"Gin, you remember George McKenzie, right?" Ron asked and Ginny nodded. Malfoy had had an altercation with the Ravenclaw boy a few days ago and needless to say, things had gotten rather violent. Unfortunately for McKenzie, he had been the one to start the argument, prompting him to be suspended indefinitely from his position as Prefect. While that alone was not enough to incur the anger of the Ravenclaws, the docking of almost all of their points had turned his House against the boy and a couple of them ambushed him the next day. McKenzie blamed the entire thing on Malfoy and had threatened the Slytherin to stay away from him for the rest of their time at Hogwarts.

"What happened?" she asked.

Ron exchanged looks with the others and then leaned forward. "No one's talking, but word is that someone from Slytherin sent McKenzie to St. Mungos with his bits in a matchbox," he told her quietly. "Snape's furious, but no one's owning up to it, though Warrington's been getting a huge laugh out of it, the git."

"Why does Dumbledore need Hermione and Malfoy?" she asked.

That question they could not answer. They just looked at each other and shrugged. Ginny frowned and turned to Harry. "And you think Malfoy did it?"

He nodded adamantly. "Of course I do. The prick's been acting right shifty for the past couple of weeks and he _hates_ McKenzie. It was a matter of time before the two had it out," he said and Ginny snorted.

"I think we'd all think the same of you, Harry," she replied. "I'm quite certain Malfoy hates you more."

Seamus shifted a little. "Well, if he didn't have anything to do with McKenzie, he's probably responsible for everything else that's been happening around here," he told her and she sighed. There was no use arguing. It was the thought process held by many, though since he was rarely seen anymore, it was becoming harder to blame things on him.

The portrait door opened and Hermione walked in with another boy. She was still talking with him when she entered and barely glanced over at her friends, instead continuing her conversation with the boy until they reached the steps leading to the boys' dormitory. Ron seemed agitated by this and Ginny smiled when he craned his neck to try to hear what they were talking about. She exchanged an amused glance with Harry before waving her hand to catch Hermione's attention. The girl noticed but did not wave. She just nodded her head and continued talking to the boy until he reached out and gave her hand a comforting squeeze before heading up the stairs. Hermione finally turned to them and walked over, looking a little upset.

"Everything alright, Hermione?" Ron asked and she glanced over at him with a little surprise on her face.

"Um… no… it's not…"

"What happened?"

Hermione shook her head. "Right now, Dumbledore's trying to figure out who hurt McKenzie," she told them. "They might be expelled."

"Is that it?" Dean asked and she shook her head.

"You'll hear about it later," she said.

"You can't tell us?" Ron asked and she glanced over at him.

"I don't _want_ to tell you, Ron," she answered, standing up. "I prefer not to be around when you hear about it."

"What is it?" Harry demanded and she shot him a dark look.

"Trust the lot of you to get heated up about all of this," she snapped. "I hope you appreciate me more tomorrow morning."

"What the hell did you do, Hermione?" Ron asked and she looked him over warily.

"Shouldn't you be in detention?"

With that, she hurried out of the common room, followed closely by Ginny.

"Hermione! Hermione!" she called. "Wait!"

Hermione glanced over her shoulder. "Hi, Ginny," she muttered, slowing down for the young woman to catch up. "I'm sorry for that."

"What's going on, Hermione?" Ginny asked. "Is everything alright?"

Hermione shook her head. "No," she whispered, looking around frantically. "Starting after this week, we no longer have any more Hogsmeade trips."

"What?"

"Shhh!" Hermione hissed, ushering them past a couple of nosy girls. They hurried up to the Head's common room. "It was either that or take away Quidditch, Ginny."

"Really?"

Ginny could understand why Hermione was adamant about not telling the boys anything. They would have never listened to her after hearing about Hogsmeade and probably accused her of doing something horrible.

* * *

Draco sat in the Slytherin common room with his feet up, reading over the letter his mentor, Severus Snape, had sent him earlier that day. It was a warning to remain aware of what was going on outside of the castle and not to antagonize his parents at the present moment, regardless of what they requested of him. His father was a dangerous man and despite Draco's experience and maturity, he still harbored a child-like fear of the man.

"If the other houses continue fighting, they'll take away Quidditch as well," Crabbe muttered and Draco sighed.

Ever since he had come back from Dumbledore's office, all those around him could talk about was how this entire issue affected them and it was beginning to become tedious.

"As long as they're still fighting," Draco voiced and they all looked at him.

Pansy eased up beside him and ran her hand through his hair. "You're plans are all coming together," she murmured into his ear. "Soon, Slytherin will remain the only house standing."

"Thanks to Warrington, I believe."

All actions stopped at those words and everyone kept their eyes on Warrington, who was sitting in the corner with two girls. He stood up swiftly and approached Draco.

"What was that, Malfoy?" he asked, not having heard the first part of the conversation. Draco stood up and looked over him quickly, trying to gauge his body language and reactions.

"I hear from several sources that you're responsible for what's going on," he said loudly so that the rest of the house could hear. "Am I correct?"

Warrington instantly smirked and stood up straighter, giving Draco a little bow. "Anything for you," he answered.

Draco's eyes flashed over to Goyle, who had been watching the entire thing with a strange look on his face. It was as if he were thinking things over and Goyle rarely thought things over unless it was extremely important, and even then he always had a hard time concentrating. Deciding not to continue with his questioning, Draco motioned to three other girls sitting nearby.

"Tell him congratulations for me," he ordered before walking towards the exit. "Goyle."

The large boy immediately jumped to his feet and hurried after the Malfoy. He followed the Head Boy down to the Head common room, his mind still going over what had happened.

"Something on your mind, Goyle?" Malfoy asked, known that his friend was itching to speak.

"I don't think Warrington has anything to do with this," he whispered and Draco glanced over at him. Once again, the boy had proven his worth.

Warrington had been very good at hiding his surprise at Draco's questioning. There had been a very brief confusion that flashed across his eyes, but it disappeared before even Draco could take anything from it. Warrington, being the typical Slytherin that he was, jumped at the opportunity to receive praise from Malfoy, even if he did not deserve it. Of course, when no one else stepped up to contest Draco's congratulations, Draco let it slide. It was better to have the House believe that Warrington was do a good job rather than make a big fuss out of it.

"Neither do I, but we'll let it go for now," Draco whispered, stopping just in front of the portrait door to the common room.

"Who do you think is responsible?"

"Ginny, really. Why is it that every time we discuss your brother, you insist there is something going on?" Hermione demanded as they rounded the corner. Ginny ran right into Draco, releasing a yelp as she fell. Draco's hand shot out instinctively and he grabbed her before she hit the ground, pulling her right up to his chest. Ginny's heart pounded against her chest at their close proximity and her stomach fluttered when his eyes flashed down to her lips before meeting hers. They stared at each other for a moment before Hermione became unnerved by how close they were and how they were looking at each other and butted in, snatching Ginny's hand away from Draco.

"I hope you're pleased with yourself," she snapped, maneuvering Ginny around so that she was behind the Head Girl. "McKenzie's in the hospital because of you."

Draco's eyes narrowed instantly at the sight of Hermione.

"I suggest you watch your tongue before you end up there as well, Granger," he replied evenly. "I never touched the little bastard."

Hermione shook her head and moved passed him, murmuring the password before entering the Head common room.

"You wouldn't have to, would you? You've got fifty snakes willing to do your work for you so pretty little Malfoy wouldn't have to get his perfectly manicured fingers dirty," she muttered before motioning to the redhead who had followed her in along with Draco and Goyle. "Come on, Ginny. We can talk up in my room."

Ginny nodded and moved to follow, but not before shooting a pointed look over at Draco. The corner of his lips twitched but he said nothing else as he sat down on the couch with Goyle. Biting her lip, she hurried up and went into Hermione's room.

"That was rather blunt, Hermione," she commented and Hermione looked up.

"Well, that was a rather interesting meeting," she replied and Ginny frowned.

"What are you talking about?"

Hermione looked over Ginny's face and then shook her head. Perhaps she was just over thinking the interaction she had seen. Perhaps she was just thinking about Ron.

The way Malfoy and Ginny had interacted with each other had been unusual, but Hermione could not blame Ginny for that. Malfoy had been extremely secretive the past few weeks and Hermione understood why anyone would act strangely around him at this point.

"Never mind, Ginny," she muttered. "Never mind."

* * *

"I'm curious, why exactly did you and Potter break up?" Malfoy asked, leaning against the railing and looking out to the lake.

"I thought we weren't going to talk about Harry," she replied and he snorted.

"The Savior of the world and you're sitting up here in the Astronomy Tower with me," he said. "I can't help but be a little bit curious."

Ginny was sitting on the railing, waving her wand around over her head and causing small bats to flutter around her. "Harry has more important things to worry about than my needs," she whispered and he snorted.

"Someone sounds bitter."

Ginny pointed her wand at him and the bats over her head were suddenly fixed right on him. He stood up straighter and she could tell he was calculating the situation.

"I don't want to talk about Harry," she told him pointedly and he snorted, turning back to the lake.

"Fine, what shall we talk about on this dreary, threat-filled night?" he asked and she smiled, returning to playing with the bats.

"I think Hermione suspects something," she told him.

"Granger suspects a lot of things."

Ginny looked down at him, observing his face and wondering why she was here. She bit her lip when he looked back up at her and waited for him to say something. Instead, he reached up and took her hair in his fingers, rubbing it a little before he took out his wand. Ginny instantly clenched her wand tighter in his hand and stiffened, watching him doubtfully. Draco leaned forward and kissed her chin as he waved his wand over her hair. Pulling away, he held up her hair and she gasped.

"What the…" She gazed upon the black strands of hair before she hit him in the shoulder. "You may like shagging her, but if you make me look like her, I will hurt you."

Draco smirked and moved around so that he was between her legs, taking a firm hold of her hips so that she would not fall back. "You're a horrible raven head," he told her, leaning in and kissing her again. "Sadly, I prefer ginger."

Ginny grinned at the statement and pressed her lips firmly to his, her heart pounding excitedly against her chest as the kiss deepened. She ran her hands up his chest and through his hair, reveling in the experience of what was happening. This was the closest they had been since the incident in the library and she was starting to wonder why he had put off getting this close.

Draco smirked when she released a gasp as his hand smoothed over her leg, moving further up her skirt. He felt one of her legs move up and around his waist, pulling him closer while their tongues brushed playfully against each other. After another moment, Ginny pulled away a little with a dazed smile on her face as she held his in her hands. Their eyes met and she tilted her head to the side.

"Do I still look so horrible?" she asked coyly and he grinned, lifting her up off of the railing, forcing her to wrap her legs around his waist, bringing their bodies up against each other in a position that only brought more sensual sensations through them. The only thing that brought an end to that was Ginny's hand stopping him from fiddling with her knickers.

"No fun," he whispered and she leaned in, kissing his neck.

"You have other girls for that," she murmured into his ear, grinning as he rested his head on her shoulder. "I'm just here for a conversation, remember."

Draco looked up at her. "I'm starting to want more," he muttered and her smile disappeared. Suddenly she felt extremely warm and confused, so she shifted around in his arms forcing him to set her down. Avoiding his gaze, she backed up into the railing and crossed her arms over her chest.

"You're very selfish, Malfoy," she whispered and he raised an eyebrow, leaning forward and placing his hands on both sides of her. He could see how uncomfortable she was and could not help but rethink the words he had used.

"Selfish?"

Ginny looked up at him. "I don't appreciate you blatantly parading Parkinson and other girls in front of me and then telling me you want more from me when I _distinctly_ told you that we were never having sex," she snapped. When she saw him smirking, she hit him in the shoulder. "What the hell are you grinning about?"

Draco's eyes looked over her before he leaned in and captured her lips in a searing kiss. Ginny's knees buckled under the force of the kiss and she grabbed his shoulders in an attempt to stand. Draco's hand moved to her rear to stop her from falling and she practically jumped into his arms, surprised by his action. Having broke the kiss, they stared at each other for a moment before Ginny could no longer stand it and leaned in, kissing him fervently as she ran her fingers through his hair. He backed her up into the wall, a grin coming to his lips as they began to lose all sense of reality.

Despite his initial promise to himself to abstain from her as much as possible, he could not help but push the limits more with her. He craved the feel of her smooth, creamy skin under his fingertips and now she was beginning to release her apprehensions about it as well. She was pressing herself against him and whimpering his name as his lips moved away from hers and down her jaw.

"What the bloody hell?"

Ginny and Draco pulled apart and turned to see Ron standing at the door of the tower, staring at them with wide, horrified eyes.

"Ron!" Ginny gasped as Draco set her down. When she saw him take out his wand, she shook her head. "Malfoy, wait!"

"_Desarma!_" Malfoy snarled and Ron went flying into the wall, collapsing to the ground, unconscious. Ginny yelped and ran over to where her brother lay.

"You thick prat! What the hell is wrong with you?" she screamed. "You knocked him out!"

Draco tucked his wand back into his robes and fixed his cuffs.

"You make it sound like I killed him," he replied calmly, looking over her brother's body with very little interest. "He'll wake up in moment."

Ginny rolled Ron over on his back and ran a hand over his face.

"Why would you do that?" she asked irritably, glaring up at him. "It's not like he was going to run away."

Draco sat down in one of the chairs and snorted.

"I'm not about to let that oaf tell the entire school population if I can help it," he snapped, examining his fingernails lazily. "Besides, he interrupted our session."

Releasing a frustrated growl, Ginny stood up and pointed at him.

"You had no right to just attack him-"

"Come here," Draco cut in, grabbing her arm and pulling her onto his lap. She struggled against him, hitting him repeatedly in the chest and arms.

"Let go of me, you bastard," she hissed. "You attacked my brother. You can't just pull me onto your lap and think I'll just accept that!"

Draco snatched her wrists in a bruising grip and she winced.

"Stop talking," he snapped and she shut her lips, but continued to glare at him. Satisfied, he leaned back in the chair and tilted his head to the side. "First of all, I think it would be best if you thought this thing through," he told her.

"Think this through-"

"I said stop talking, Weasley," he repeated and she rolled her eyes, looking away from him. "I'm not only protecting my interests," he said. "Weasel King goes running off, snitching to every person he sees and you'll have to deal with just as much shit as I would."

Before Ginny could rebuke the statement, Ron started groaning and she looked down to see him shift around on the ground before his eyes opened. He blinked a couple of times and then managed to focus on the couple sitting in the chair. He stared at them for a moment and then closed his eyes again, releasing a groan.

"Bloody hell, my head hurts," he grumbled, running his hands over his face. "God, I hope I'm dreaming..."

Draco snorted, leaning in and kissing Ginny's neck before he carefully slid her off of his lap.

"I hope you never dream of me, Weasley," he said, standing up and moving over to the railing. Ginny kneeled down beside her brother and helped him sit up.

"Are you okay?" she asked softly, searching for any hint of pain besides the obvious head injury. "Is anything broken?"

Ron shook his head slowly, leaning against the wall and taking a deep breath. His eyes caught something wrong with Ginny and he frowned.

"What did you do to your hair?" he asked and Ginny sighed, pulling out her wand and fixing her hair color. He then looked between Ginny and Malfoy a couple of times before fixing Ginny with a look. "Ginny, please tell me I didn't just walk in on you snogging that prick," he muttered and Ginny couldn't help but smile.

"He's more like a bastard, if you want to be a little more accurate," she replied and he groaned, closing his eyes.

"Bloody hell, Ginny," he moaned. "Are you trying to kill me?"

Ginny glanced over at Draco and bit her lip, taking Ron's hand.

"It's… hard to explain," she muttered.

"Hard to explain? It's Draco Malfoy," he snapped before realizing exactly what he had just said. Struggling to his feet, he turned to Draco. "What the hell did you do to her?"

Ginny's eyes widened and she stepped in front of her brother.

"Ron, he hasn't done _anything_ to me and I don't like the fact that you would ever _think_ that Malfoy's been manipulating me into doing something like this," she retorted. Ron's eyes narrowed.

"Ginny, the only way I could see this happening is if he were manipulating you because I'd hate to think my baby sister was snogging Malfoy of her own free will!"

Draco snorted.

"She's definitely not a baby," he spoke up and the sound of Ron's fist connecting with Draco's face echoed all around the Astronomy Tower.

"Ron!" Ginny screamed, grabbing him and hauling him away from Draco, who was leaning against the wall, spitting out blood and uttering foul obscenities. "Ron, stop it!"

"Me? _He's _ the one…" Ron trailed off when he saw Ginny's eyes fill with tears at his actions. He could instantly see Ginny's indecision on how to handle the situation and felt something was off about the way she was treating him as opposed to Malfoy, who was still recovering from the punch. "What… what the hell is going on?"

Ginny bit her lip and motioned to the door.

"Perhaps we should leave," she suggested, eyeing Draco worriedly. The blonde had made no attempt to retaliate, which unnerved her and when neither boy moved, she grabbed Ron's arm and dragged him to the door. She was not about to wait around for Draco to find his dark side. "Come on!"

After two hours of explaining everything to Ron, including her run in's with Draco over the summer, the siblings found themselves in the stairwell from when they had run in with Warrington. Ron was standing by the wall while Ginny sat on the steps, staring at her hands.

"Ron, please say something," she pleaded after five minutes of silence. He glanced over at her and frowned.

"What am I supposed to say, Ginny?" he asked. "You were snogging Draco bloody Malfoy."

Ginny shifted uncomfortably again and pulled her hair back into a ponytail. "Ron, it's a little complicated."

Ron snorted.

"Yeah, I figured that much," he muttered. Ginny watched him and sighed.

"Ron, I don't want you to hate me," she murmured.

"I don't hate you."

"Then look at me," she begged, standing up. "Tell me what you're thinking." Her brother turned around to face her and she suddenly her eyes began to fill with tears. "Ron, I… I've been holding this in for the past couple of months because I knew you'd never approve but…"

Ron's heart was pulled when he saw the tears and he ran his fingers through his hair.

"Ginny…" He was unsure of how he was supposed to say this without hurting her. There were so many complicated emotions running through him. He had listened to her talk for the past couple of hours and deep down, he understood her reason for turning to a less desirable choice of company after her break with Harry, but that did not make the situation any better. Just understandable. "It's… it's _Malfoy_…"

Ginny couldn't help but smile at his uncertainty and she wiped her eyes.

"Yeah, weird, right?" Taking a deep breath, she looked up at him with determination. "But it's a little late for that..."

Ron froze and stared at her. "Wait… you don't mean… Ginny, you're not…"

Realizing what he was trying to say, her eyes grew and she quickly shook her head.

"What? No, no!" she protested. "I mean… I like him, but that's it."

"You're sure?"

"Yes," she snapped swiftly, crossing her arms over her chest. "He's just… an infatuation, is all..."

Ron looked over his sister carefully and could tell that even she did not believe what she was saying. He had seen the way they had interacted when he had walked into the Astronomy Tower and he could not help but realize that even Malfoy had been acting differently since Ginny said their relationship had started. If it was possible, he had been a lot less… prickish...

"It's more than just an infatuation," he muttered, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and leading her to the stairs. Ginny glanced over at him and she shrugged.

"I don't know, Ron," she replied. "I just… You can't tell anyone, okay?"

Ron smiled.

"Who would believe me?"

Ginny leaned forward and placed her head between her legs, groaning pitifully.

"Ughh!" she moaned. "What is wrong with me?"

Ron leaned back on the steps, stretching his legs out as he rubbed his sister's back comfortingly.

"Just look on the bright side. At least you and Harry have something in common again."

"What's that?" she mumbled into her skirt.

"You two have an unhealthy interest in Draco Malfoy," he said and she looked up.

"You're not going to tell him, are you?" she asked nervously and he shook his head.

"No," he said. "I may want to punch Malfoy again, but I don't want to kill him."

Ginny bit her lip at the comment. Her feelings were still ambivalent about Ron's show of force up in the tower and she still worried that Draco would retaliate sooner or later.

"Harry got over me a long time ago, Ron," she whispered and Ron snorted.

"Right, Ginny," he muttered before standing up and sighing. "Well, I suppose if you're going to be in denial about your feelings towards the dick with the blonde hair, then I suppose you're allowed to be in denial about the first boy you ever loved."

Ginny rolled her eyes and hurried up to fall in step with her brother, looping her arm with his. She rested her head on his shoulder.

"I'm not in denial, Ron," she murmured. "I'm scared."

"Scared of what?" When she didn't answer, he stopped and looked down at her. She refused to look up at him, making him nervous. "Scared of what, Ginny?"

Ginny took a deep breath, looking around for a reason to avoid the question. She probably was in denial, but admitting it was harder than she would have thought, especially to her brother. Crossing her arms over her chest, she began walking again.

"I suppose it'd be too much to ask for you to talk a bit less about him being a Death Eater, now, would it?" she asked curiously and he snorted.

"Not bloody likely. I start doing that and Harry will definitely notice," he responded.

"But he's not a Death Eater."

"I still don't trust him, Ginny." She saw his eyes darken a little. "He may not be working for Voldemort, but he's dangerous nonetheless… plus, the way he handles women-"

"It's different," Ginny snapped quickly, her ears burning at the subject of Draco's other little side projects. She knew she should not have been so defensive.

"If it's not serious, how's it different, Gin," Ron countered heatedly, turning to face her. "He's snogging you just like he snogs any other daft bimbo ready to pull off her knickers at a moment's glance."

Ron instantly wished he had not said those words. Ginny's entire demeanor changed and her shoulders crumbled slightly while her eyes glistened with burning, unshed tears. She stood there for a moment, staring at a spot on the wall while she struggled internally with the truth laden in his hurtful statement. He could see her beginning to falter and reached out to her.

"Ginny-"

"Am I really like them, Ron?" she asked quietly.

"Ginny, I didn't mean-"

"Answer the question," she snapped, shooting him a glare. "Am I really like any other girl Malfoy's dragged into the corner of a broom closet and snogged? I mean, that's really the only reason he keeps me around, right?"

Ron shook his head and took her face in his hands, suddenly finding himself justifying Malfoy's reasons for wanting her.

"You are an amazing woman, Gin," he whispered, brushing the tears out of her eyes. "You've told me countless times that you and Malfoy have spent most of your time talking. When have you _ever_ seen him talking with any of those other little bints? When have you _ever_ seen him talking with Parkinson?"

Ginny bit her lip at the mention of the girl and looked away.

"Ron, you can't honestly believe-"

"I can't honestly believe much of anything anymore," Ron cut in, his blue eyes filling with the utmost seriousness. "All I know is that Malfoy wants you for something more than a snog or a shag…" His nose wrinkled up a bit. "I suppose that counts for something…"

Ginny stared at him, pressing her lips together to hold back a smile.

"How did it feel to say those words?" she asked, laughing when his eyes darkened and a look of disgust fell over his face.

"Like I just drowned some house elves," he grumbled and she laughed some more, taking his hand in hers and nudging him playfully. Shaking his head, he placed his arm on her shoulders and pulled her to him, kissing her forehead quickly.

"It's nice to see the two of you made up," Draco commented, stepping out from behind a suit of armor. Ron groaned while Ginny stiffened up a bit, unsure of how to proceed. Ron had punched the Slytherin.

"Oh bloody hell," he muttered. "Why can't you just crawl back into the hole you came from and die?"

Ginny bit her lip and tugged on Ron's arm.

"Come on, brother. Let's get back to the common room before we get points taken away," she advised, glancing over at Draco nervously. Her heart fluttered when he winked at her, but the moment was ruined by Ron's groaning.

"I can't believe this," he muttered. "You two need to get a room." His eyes widened when he realized what he was suggesting and he shook his head, dragging his sister down the hall. "On second thought, you two stick to the lake," he called over his shoulder. "I catch you up in the tower one more time and I'll blow that head of yours clean off."

"I'll keep that in mind the next time I feel up your sister."

"Ron, let's go!" Ginny ordered, switching rolls and dragging him down the corridor. She did not need to look over her shoulder to know that Draco was grinning at her and she tried her best to hide her smile as she tried to calm Ron down. There was no reason for Draco to attack her brother. His punishment would be the knowledge that he was slowly stealing Ginny's heart.

That was punishment enough for them all.

**A/N: An interesting turn of events.**


	13. Cruel Intentions

_Lust is easy. Love is hard. Like is most important._ **-Carl Reiner**

* * *

"Harry, I don't think that's a great idea," Hermione spoke up after Harry had told her, Ron and Ginny about his plans to leave after Christmas. "Voldemort is more powerful than ever and you've barely made an effort to practice your spells. You need more work before you can go off and fight him."

Ron shrugged. "I don't know. Harry's powerful also," he responded. "Besides, we can't keep waiting for Voldemort to make the first move."

Harry pulled out the letter he was sent. "Remus says that Death Eaters are mobilizing all around London again and it won't be long before people from Slytherin start doing what they were born to do as well."

Ginny frowned. "You're not talking about Malfoy, are you?" she asked, earning her a sharp look from her brother. It was only a day after he had found out about Malfoy, so hearing her talk about him was still a little hard for him.

"Who else would he be talking about?" Ron questioned pointedly and she shifted in her seat, checking her watch.

"I think Cole Warrington is more of a threat than Malfoy," she told Harry. "He's much too ambitious to get on Malfoy's good side and I'm sure he'll try to attack you sooner or later."

Hermione frowned as well and leaned forward in her seat. "How would you know all of this?" she asked skeptically and Ginny shrugged, checking her watch again.

"I've heard rumors that Warrington's the one behind all of the fighting that's been going on," she told them and Harry frowned.

"How is it that he's causing all of the fighting?"

Hermione jolted a little and then pulled out one of her books. "There are spells for that," she whispered. "They bring out feelings of hatred within us and such…" Her cheeks tinged and she glanced quickly over at Ron. "Or feelings of… love… in the case of that Ravenclaw boy… Warrington may not be causing the fights, but he may be facilitating them."

Harry shook his head. "Warrington isn't smart enough for something like that, though," he protested. "Causing the houses to fight amongst themselves is more like something Malfoy would do."

"But I don't think he's responsible," Ginny cut in quickly before clamping her lips shut and glancing over at Ron, who was shaking his head at her. Hermione's suspicions rose and she decided to question it.

"Why not Malfoy? He's the only one who seems to be clever enough in Slytherin to plan something like this," she said, her eyes narrowing when Ginny glanced down at her watch for the fifth time that night. "Do you have somewhere to go, Ginny?"

The girl's eyes widened and she quickly shook her head.

"No… I was just wondering how long we were going to spend talking about Malfoy," she replied and Hermione straightened up a bit.

"Well, I was wondering why you seem so adamant about it being someone else?"

Ginny shifted uncomfortably in her seat, searching for an excuse or plausible reason why she would protect Malfoy. Ron, however, was more apt to produce one.

"I think Ginny's saying it's not Malfoy because he hasn't been around when any of the fights happen while Warrington has," he told the others. "Probably off snogging some little hussy."

Despite the offending words, Ginny mouthed a 'thank you' to her brother, who just shrugged and leaned back in his chair, staring at the parchment in front of him. Hermione looked over the paper quickly from where she was sitting and frowned.

"Ron, is this the Dark Arts paper due tomorrow?" she asked and he rolled his eyes.

"Lay off me, Hermione," he muttered. "I would have had it done yesterday, but I ran into Malfoy after detention and had to wash my eyes out."

Harry perked up. "You never told me you ran into him. What was he doing?" he asked and Ginny snorted.

"Something ghastly, I suspect," she offered and Ron ran his hands over his face.

"You have no bloody idea," he mumbled. "Ugh, I still can't get it out of my mind." He opened his eyes and glanced over at Hermione, who was now marking up his paper with her own quill. "You're actually going to help?"

She glanced over at him quickly before returning to her checking. "Well, I suppose I'm slightly responsible for you getting detention," she muttered. "Besides, there's not much here to fix. You've done a pretty good job."

Harry and Ginny instantly noticed Ron sit up straighter and he moved to sit down beside Hermione so that he could see what she was doing. A blush appeared on Hermione's cheeks at their close proximity, but she refused to look up at him.

"You're a Godsend, Hermione," Ron told her as he continued to watch her edit his paper. "You really are."

Hermione bit her lip. "I'm just trying to be helpful, Ron," she replied.

Ron was about to reply when a little first year girl came up to them with a letter in her hand. "This is for you," she said to Hermione. "The owl came to the wrong window."

Hermione smiled at the girl and took the envelope. "Thank you," she said before turning to it. After recognizing the handwriting, she bit her lip and glanced up at Ron quickly before she tucked it into her robes.

"You're not going to read it?" Ron asked, having noticed what she had done. Surprised by his attention to detail, Hermione shook her head and returned to checking his paper.

"I'll read it later."

"Who's it from?" Ron asked curiously and after seeing the heavy blush on Hermione's face, Ginny and Harry knew immediately who it was from.

"No one," Hermione muttered.

Ron looked up from his paper and stared at her for a moment before he leaned back on the couch and closed his eyes. "Let me guess… 'Dear Her-my-ninny. I bring you greetings from my country and from my million Galleon mansion on the hillside. I do wish you had visited me over the summer, but I understand your obligations to that obscure boy with the scar on his head. Perhaps I can visit you at Hogwarts sometime this year. Her-my-ninny, I have been thinking about you-"

"Ron, that's enough," Hermione snapped irritably. She pulled out the envelope and flung it at him. "You want to read it so badly, fine!" When he picked it up, she snatched it from him and released a frustrated sigh. "What is it with you and Victor?"

Ron raised an eyebrow. "I have _nothing_ against _Vicky_," he replied and Hermione practically screamed.

"His name is _Victor_ Krum, Ronald," she hissed. "Victor! Not Vicky! Not Victoria! Victor! UGH! What is _wrong_ with you?"

Ron stood up as well while everyone else in the common room watched in amazement. "Me?" he retorted. "You're the one getting your knickers in a twist!" He pointed at himself. "All I did was sum up what was probably written in that bloody letter you seemed so bent on concealing from me!"

Hermione's eyes narrowed. "Face it, Ron," she responded. "You're jealous of him."

Ron's eyes widened and he backed away from her a little. "Jealous? What the hell do I have to be jealous of?" he bellowed. "So he's a professional Quidditch player? All he does is spend his time on a bloody broom, flying around chasing Snitches."

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "At least he can play Quidditch," she replied and Ginny shot out of her seat, grabbing Ron's arm.

"Stop it, the both of you," she snapped angrily. "Before you hurt each other again."

"Why don't you go run off with him, then?" Ron growled, ignoring his sister completely. "And take McLaggen with you. You seem to be into the strong, handsy types."

Hermione's eyes widened at the innuendo. "You little-"

"Harry, are you okay?" Neville asked quietly, effectively ending all conversation in the common room. Everyone turned to see Harry rubbing his scar ruefully while Neville sat beside him, trying to figure out what was wrong. "Harry-"

"Bloody hell..."

Everyone looked over at Harry to see him rubbing his forehead ruefully.

"Harry, are you okay?" Hermione asked quietly right before things suddenly became worse. Harry fell to the ground, writhing in pain as he clawed at his searing scar.

"Harry!" Ginny screamed, falling down to the floor with Neville to try to help him, but the moment they touched him, he seemed to be in even more pain. He began to scream in agony and his scar began to bleed.

Hermione turned to the little girl who had given her the letter. "Go get help! Get Dumbledore!" she ordered and the little girl ran out of the common room. Several others tried to come forward to help Harry, but she shoved them away. "Don't touch him!" she screamed. "Don't touch him!"

"Harry," Ginny was whispering as she tried to calm herself down. "Harry, don't let him take you," she pleaded. "You're stronger than he is. Block him out. Block it out, Harry."

He reached out to touch her face, his eyes wide and filled with fear. "Mum," he gasped and Ginny backed away immediately, frightened by what he had just said. Harry's eyes rolled back and he blacked out, the last thing on his mind the scream of his mother.

* * *

Draco was becoming restless. He was supposed to be meeting Ginny in the Tower in an hour and already he was counting down the minutes before he left the Slytherin common room. Pansy was sitting beside him, whispering sinful things into his ear as her hand moved up and down his leg seductively. For a while he was able to ignore her, but as the night drew on, her needy pawing was becoming tedious.

"Your mother sent me a letter this morning," she whispered in his ear.

"What did Narcissa have to say today?" he asked, closing his eyes as her lips brushed across his cold skin.

Pansy moved closer to him and ran a hand through his hair. "She says she wants to speak to you," she told him. "It's about your father."

Pansy felt Draco stiffen beneath her. "When?"

"The Hogsmeade trip," she murmured.

Draco did not respond as a fifth year came in with a first year girl following close behind. The boy pointed to where Zabini was sitting and the girl hurried over. She immediately began to draw attention to herself for the mere fact that she was wearing a Gryffindor sweater. Draco and Pansy watched along with Warrington, who was sitting close by, as the little girl tugged on Zabini's shirt. The sixth year looked up and frowned as the girl leaned in and whispered something into his ear. Draco became curious as the boy's eyes darkened. Zabini took the girl's hand and forced her to look at him, asking her something. The girl nodded quickly and Zabini's eyes moved quickly to where Draco was sitting before he stood up and motioned to the door.

"Wait outside," he told her and she hurried out the door.

"You know, Zabini, fraternizing with Gryffindors is one thing. Screwing them is another," Warrington commented loudly and Zabini's eyes flashed dangerously.

"Is that what your mother said when she conceived you?" he asked coldly and instantly the entire common room became cold and tense. However, before Warrington could respond to the statement, Zabini turned to Draco. "I need to talk to you."

"Is it important?" Draco asked, eyeing Warrington carefully. If he had not asked the question sooner, the large sixth year would most undoubtedly have taken out his smaller counterpart.

"I think so," Zabini responded expressionlessly and Draco smirked, standing up and motioning to the corner where Goyle was sitting.

"You think so," he chuckled to himself, sitting down beside Goyle. "Well then, let's have it."

Zabini's eyes were fixed solely on Warrington and even Goyle could see the murderous need in the boy's look. The boy's eyes narrowed when Warrington refused to listen to what Pansy was trying to say to him and left the common room.

"Potter's being sent to the Hospital Wing," he murmured so that only Goyle and Draco could hear. "Voldemort has something to do with it."

"You're little friend deduce that?" Goyle asked and Zabini finally tore his eyes away from where Warrington had disappeared.

"I did," he replied evenly as he stood up. He gave Draco a curt nod before he moved hurriedly towards the door, his black robes billowing sinisterly behind him. Draco watched him leave before leaning back in his chair.

"Curious, Gregory," he commented. "I think someone's getting anxious behind the scenes."

Goyle frowned and turned to Draco. "I don't understand."

Snorting, Draco stood up and looked down at his friend. "I wouldn't expect you to," Draco replied with a smirk. "I want you to keep an eye on Zabini and tell me if he meets that girl-"

"ARGH!"

The portrait door into the Slytherin common room was blasted open and Warrington came tumbling in, clutching his bloodied face as he yelled out in pain. Every Slytherin in the room had their wands out as Zabini walked back in, twirling his wand around in his fingers. Draco could not help but notice the barely controlled hatred in the boy's eyes as he squatted down in front of Warrington.

"Next time I see you talk to her, I'll kill you," he growled.

"You're dead, Zabini," Warrington mumbled through the blood pouring down his face. "You're DEAD!"

Ignoring the warning, Zabini stood up and walked back out of the common room, followed closely by ten sixth and fifth years Draco recognized to be a part of Warrington's group. A smile came to his face. Apparently there was no loyalty amongst them at all.

"Where the HELL are you bastards going?" Warrington bellowed, watching them leave as well. "GET BACK HERE!"

Draco motioned to three boys.

"Help him up," he ordered, moving towards the exit. "Let's take him to the Wing before he stains the floor."

Pansy hurried to her feet and followed after Draco as he led the way out of the common room. In the hall directly outside of the Slytherin House, Zabini was standing with the little girl, talking quietly to her while the ten boys and girls who had come out with him stood stoically on the opposite wall, staring at the ground and avoiding Draco's gaze. Zabini caught Draco's eyes momentarily before returning to the little girl while Draco continued on to the Hospital Wing with Warrington in tow. Checking his watch, Draco wondered if Ginny was already waiting for him.

Either way, he would be late to their meeting.

* * *

Ginny looked up when she heard Harry stir and she got out of her seat to sit down on the bed, taking his hand as he opened his eyes. "Hey," she whispered, offering him a smile. "How are you feeling?"

He shifted a little and reached up to touch his scar tentatively. There was still soreness, but the excruciating pain that had suffocated him earlier was no longer there. "It doesn't hurt as much it did before," he mumbled and she placed a hand on his cheek, biting her lip at how cold he was.

"Aren't you freezing?" she asked and he shook his head.

"I'm fine, Ginny," he assured her. "Really, I am."

Taking a deep breath, she looked down at their clasped hands and ran a finger over his, trying to remain calm. "You really scared a lot of people, Harry," she told him quietly. "A lot of them thought you were dying."

Harry observed the tearstains on her face and reached up to wipe them away, his heart jumping a little when she closed her eyes and sighed at the action.

"What did you think?" he asked softly and she looked down at him. At first he thought she might start crying again, but instead she shrugged and looked away.

"Ron and Hermione are in Dumbledore's office," she told him determinedly and he sighed, knowing she would not allow him to go back to the conversation.

"Are they okay?"

Ginny nodded silently, but her grip on his hand tightened a little. "Remus is here too," she added and he immediately tried to sit up.

"Really, where-"

"Harry, lie back down," Ginny snapped, pushing on his chest and glancing over at Madame Pomfrey's office. "If Pomfrey catches you up, she'll skin me and give you more potions to make you sleep, so be quiet."

Harry grunted at the force of her actions and waited until she had calmed down before he began to speak again. "Where is he?" he asked impatiently and she shrugged.

"I don't know, Harry," she answered. "He's been here since we arrived and he just stepped out with McGonagall to talk. I don't think he's seen Dumbledore yet."

Harry frowned. "How did he get here so fast? I thought he was in London."

Ginny shrugged again, much to his frustration, and looked around the Hospital Wing. "All I know is that by the time we got you up here, he was already waiting with Pomfrey," she told him. "He's really worried about you."

Noticing the concern in Ginny's eyes, Harry pulled himself up on his elbows to get a better look at her face. Realizing what he was trying to do, she shifted a little and looked at him strangely.

"What?" she asked and he tilted his head a little.

"Why are Ron and Hermione with Dumbledore?" he asked quietly and she bit her lip.

"I don't know, Harry," she answered. He could hear the bitterness in her voice. "They were only in here a moment before Dumbledore called them away."

Harry was quiet for a while, trying to figure things out in his head while Ginny sat beside him, wishing she could come up with something to say. With Harry, there were several things that would make a perfectly adequate conversation, but all eluded her as she sat there with him, twiddling her thumbs like a dunce. Once again, she found herself going over the events after Harry had collapsed in the common room and something came to her mind.

"Hannah was here earlier," she heard herself blurt out and she instantly felt Harry stiffen.

"Hannah Abbot?" he asked and she nodded, unable to stop herself from speaking. "We ran into her on our way up here and she stayed for a while," she said without even thinking. Why was she bringing up another girl in front of him?

"Oh..."

She noticed his lack of response and glanced over to see a small blush forming on his cheeks, spiking her curiosity. Other than in the common room, she was rarely around Harry anymore and they never talked about personal things with each other. It should not have come to any surprise that he was already interested in someone. She was.

"Do you see her often?" she asked nonchalantly and he shrugged.

"In the library sometimes," he muttered and she smiled. Harry had never been very good at hiding his feelings, especially when it came to those of the opposite sex.

"She's a nice girl," Ginny commented as casually as possible, still watching Harry's face for a response. He did not fail her. The corner of his mouth twitched upward and his eyes glazed over momentarily as if he were remembering some fond memory.

"Yeah."

"Pretty."

His ears became inflamed. "Yeah… what?" Harry stuttered and she looked down at him.

"No need to be uncomfortable about it, Harry," she said firmly. "It's okay if you like her."

Harry shook his head. "We're just friends, Ginny-"

"No, Harry," Ginny cut in, her eyes hardening. "You and I are just friends. Hannah's… a possibility."

Harry stared at Ginny suspiciously. "Did Hermione put you up to this?" he asked and Ginny laughed.

"Am I not allowed to make a comment on a girl who _obviously_ likes you a lot and point out that you should probably go for it?" she countered and he snorted.

"No, you're not," he answered adamantly, pushing himself up in a seated position. "It's weird, Ginny."

"Why's it weird?" she asked and he shrugged, reaching out for the cup of water on the table.

"It's just weird," he replied before taking a drink.

Ginny watched him for a moment and smiled. "I love you, Harry," she said confidently and he spit out his water, coughing a little before he managed to look up at her through watery, startled eyes.

"What?"

Ginny leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "I love you, Harry Potter," she repeated. "And I'm glad you're safe."

"Ginny, why are you-"

"Harry, you and I are always going to have feelings for each other," she told him and he frowned. "I don't want you to miss out on a good relationship because of me."

"That's the saddest thing I've ever heard."

Harry and Ginny turned to see Pansy walking through the door with Draco close behind. Trailing after them was three boys carrying what looked to be a bloodied Warrington. Ginny immediately let go of Harry's hand after seeing Draco and stood up to cover up her little action. For some reason, she felt guilty of something and after catching the brief, dark look on Draco's face when he had entered, she remembered their meeting and understood why.

"No one asked you, Parkinson," she retorted, choosing to ignore her previous feeling. "What are you doing here anyway?"

Draco smirked and motioned to where Harry was sitting. "To see the circus, of course," he answered. "Though, Potter being in the hospital has failed to have its affect on me as it used to. I'm not laughing anymore."

"Piss off," Harry snapped, glaring at the unwanted Slytherins. "Go make someone else miserable."

"Merlin's beard, what happened?" Madame Pomfrey exclaimed upon walking out of her office. She quickly examined the situation and took the next course of action. "Set him down over here," she ordered the three boys holding Warrington. "Gently, now."

Ignoring the woman's directions, they dropped him on the hospital bed and after a nod from Draco, quickly left the Hospital Wing. Pomfrey watched them leave with an irritable look on her old face, but she said nothing of it, instead turning to Draco for an explanation. "Well, Mr. Malfoy? Would you care to explain?"

"Bloody Blaise Zabini," Warrington growled without thinking. The bleeding had not stopped on his way up to the Wing, so he looked a lot worse than it probably was. "The little sod's going to get it."

"Language, Mr. Warrington," Pomfrey scolded with a gasp. "Language!"

Draco snorted. "Warrington, just hush up and let the woman look at you so we can leave," he said lazily and Pomfrey shot him a look.

"Mr. Malfoy, I suggest you adjust the way you address me for future reference," she advised, standing up and heading for her office. "I'll be back in a moment."

"Bitch," Parkinson muttered loudly when the old woman disappeared. She sat down on the bed next to Warrington and crossed her legs. "I don't see why we're here anyway, Draco."

Smiling, Draco motioned to the injured boy. "Warrington's hurt. We need to make sure he's better," he replied in a voice so sincere that it was unnatural and she rolled her eyes, shooting a disgusted look Warrington's way.

"I warned you about messing with Zabini," she pointed out before looking up at Draco. "I think you should get rid of him."

"What?" Warrington spat and Pansy glared at him.

"Not you, you great lummox," she hissed, shoving his hand off of her. "Zabini. He's too much of a risk."

Draco smirked. "Why? Because he proved that Cole is unable to defend himself against the guardian of a small Gryffindor?" he asked and Warrington became still on the bed, eyes fixed on Draco.

"He's a loose cannon, Draco," Pansy snapped, having completely missed the message hidden in Draco's smooth words. "He attacked a member of Slytherin and you could be next."

"Trouble in paradise, Malfoy?" Harry couldn't help but ask upon hearing what had happened. "Can't keep one of your own in check?"

Draco glanced over and his eyes fell briefly on Ginny. "You're one to talk," he responded and the redhead became stiff. "Last I heard, your House was falling apart."

"Your work, I suppose," Harry spat and Draco rolled his eyes.

"Still on that 'Malfoy's in league with Voldemort' crap?" he asked, his voice dripping with boredom. "Isn't that getting a little old, even for you, Potter?"

"There will be none of that in here," Madame Pomfrey snapped, coming back into the main part of the Wing. She pointed straight at Malfoy. "If I hear you mention that name in here one more time, I'll have Snape give you detention, understand?"

Draco gave the woman the most unpleasant look in the world but said nothing in protest, moving out of the way as she went to tend to Warrington. Behind him, he heard Ginny giggle and turned to see Harry whispering something into her ear. Draco noticed her ears redden and the smile on her face broaden and within him, something hated Harry Potter even more.

"Ugh, why don't the two of you get a room," Pansy sneered from beside him, making his hatred for Potter grow even more. "The rest of us don't need to see you two snogging."

Ginny laughed. "Tips of modesty coming from you, Pansy, is like getting ideas of how to be good from Voldemort," she retorted heatedly and Madame Pomfrey looked up.

"That warning goes for you too, Ms. Weasley," she snapped "I will not have that name used in my Hospital Wing!"

Ginny's eyes narrowed when Pansy crossed her arms over her chest and lifted her chin triumphantly. However, before she could do anything about it, the doors opened again and Hermione and Ron walked in, hurrying over to where Harry lay.

"Oh, you're awake," Hermione said with a sigh of relief, sitting down on the other side of his bed and taking his hand. "We were so worried. Are you feeling okay? Do you need anything?"

Pansy released a groan and waved her hand frantically in front of her nose. "Merlin's sakes, it smells like Mudblood in here," she gagged and Madame Pomfrey stood up.

"_Ms._ _Parkinson_," she hissed. "If I hear one more word out of you, I will personally ask the Headmaster to have you suspended for the rest of the term!"

Pansy looked positively livid at this point and if it had not been for Draco, she probably would have cursed the poor old woman. Ron looked over at them and grinned upon seeing Warrington.

"What happened to him? Try to read a book?" he asked, trying not to laugh.

"Apparently another Slytherin attacked him," Harry told them happily as he leaned back into his pillow. "And all is well and good in Hogwarts again."

"Suck it, Potter," Warrington yelled from across the room. Apparently he had regained his voice after Draco's veiled scolding earlier. The look in the boy's eyes clearly expressed his want to throttle Harry and he probably would have if not for his injuries.

"Mr. Warrington, be quiet!" Pomfrey responded angrily. She stood up and shook her head. "What is it with the lot of you? Can't you be civil for once?" With that, she disappeared into her office to find some bandages.

Ron, however, was not finished in his inspection of Warrington. "Merlin, Warrington. It looks like you got into a fight with a Hippogriff or something?" He chuckled and tilted his head towards Draco. "Malfoy try to teach you how to ride again?"

Hermione nudged him. "Ron, stop it before we get in trouble," she whispered so that only they could hear. "Just ignore them."

"You know what, Pansy," Draco remarked, pulling a face. "I think you're right. It is starting to smell like muggles in here."

Harry glared at him. "Don't you have something to shag?" he snarled and Draco snorted, his eyes resting quickly on Ginny, causing her to blush furiously.

"Yes, but she's being rather difficult," he answered and Ron groaned, understanding perfectly what the Slytherin meant.

"Oh bloody hell," he moaned. "Get out!"

A smirk crossed over Draco's lips and Ginny bit the inside of her lips to keep herself from screaming for him to stop. It was bad enough for him to taunt her brother, but to do it in front of Harry was low.

"That's what she keeps saying," he said with a wink. "Though, her meaning, I must admit, is a tad different."

"Ron!" Ginny yelled, grabbing him and dragging him back. "Ron, stop it!"

"Just let me kill him now," he growled furiously. "It'll save us a lot of trouble later."

Ginny held him close to her. "I'd really prefer if you didn't," she replied so only he could hear. She then raised her voice so the others could hear as well. "Ron, stop, please! He's not worth it."

"I'm with Ron, let's put the little ferret out of his misery," Harry snapped and Draco snorted.

"I'm shaking Potter," he blubbered out mockingly. "Why don't you get your little Healer's note and then get back to me on that one, huh?"

"What exactly is going on in here?"

All of them turned to see McGonagall standing there with Dumbledore, Snape and Remus. Pansy instantly pointed to where Ron was standing.

"He was threatening to kill Draco," she complained and Hermione stood up, eyes blazing.

"No he wasn't and you shouldn't talk before I tell your Head of House how many times I've caught you sneaking around the castle with some boy _or_ girl," she hissed threateningly.

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow, assessing the situation quickly before he spoke. "Ms. Parkinson, I suggest you head back to your dormitory now before curfew," he advised quietly.

"But Headmaster-"

"Ms. Parkinson," Snape snapped, silencing her quickly with his gaze. The dejected Slytherin glanced over at Draco quickly before she huffed and stalked out of the Hospital Wing. Upon seeing Warrington on the bed, Snape raised an eyebrow. "What happened to you, Cole?"

Warrington glanced up at Draco and then shook his head. Despite his overwhelming hatred for Zabini, he knew that snitching would make himself look weak in front of Draco and that was something he could not do at this point.

"Accident," he mumbled. "Just an accident."

Ron snorted. "Accident, my arse," he grumbled and Ginny sighed.

"Ron, please," she whispered pleadingly. "Enough."

Dumbledore looked between them and motioned to Ginny. "Ms. Weasley, would you please excuse us?" he asked and she immediately knew that this had to do with Harry. It hurt that even Dumbledore recognized that Harry did not want her involved with this, but she refused to make a scene and ask to stay, especially with Draco there.

"Fine," she muttered, taking Harry's hand and giving it a squeeze. "I'll see you tomorrow."

He offered her a smile. "Thanks, Ginny," he replied sincerely. Ginny was almost at the door when Dumbledore turned to Draco.

"Mr. Malfoy, would you mind escorting Ms. Weasley to her common room so that the accident that Mr. Warrington was unfortunate to fall prey to, does not happen upon her?" he asked graciously and Draco shrugged.

"Anything to be out of here," he replied, following Ginny out the door.

Hermione frowned at this. "He didn't put up much of a fight," she murmured to Ron and Harry.

Ron jolted a little and then shrugged. "I think you're seeing things," he told her quickly. "Why would Malfoy be eager to walk Ginny to her dormitory?"

Hermione turned to him and looked confused. "I never said he looked eager to walk her to her dormitory, Ron," she corrected. "I said he didn't put up too much of a fight to leave." She motioned to where Warrington was sitting up. "I think something's going on with them."

"Malfoy and Warrington?" Harry asked and she nodded. "But isn't Warrington Malfoy's number two or something?"

Thankful to be off of the topic of Malfoy and his sister, Ron readily offered another reply to the statement. "Judging by the way he scampered off without saying another word, I suppose it's safe to say Warrington's being booted out of that position," he replied. Noticing the professors approaching, he nudged Harry and Hermione. "Let's talk about it later, though."

He had been completely silent since they had left the Hospital Wing and it was beginning to make Ginny nervous. She was aware of the fact that something had changed within Slytherin by the way Draco had interacted with Warrington. In the past, Draco and Warrington were rarely seen together at all, mostly to prevent people from suspecting that they were plotting something. And all of a sudden, Draco's escorting him to the Hospital Wing.

It was unnerving.

"Did something happen between Warrington and Zabini?" she asked quietly in an attempt to break the silence.

"Nothing you need to worry yourself over," came his curt reply and she bit her lip. His rudeness should not have surprised her at this point, but somehow it hurt that he was unable to be civil to her. He had been civil with Parkinson.

Taking a quick breath, she crossed her arms over her chest and began to walk a bit quicker, suddenly not wanting to be around him. She did not know why she was so angry all of a sudden. Perhaps it was the thought of him with Parkinson that spurred her, but she refused to acknowledge that as the true reason. It was so petty.

Why would she be jealous of Parkinson?

_You're not jealous of her, remember, Ginny,_ she told herself. _She's an unintelligent, narcissistic whore._

A whore who Draco kept on his person and shared the most intimate of life's wonders with.

Ginny stumbled over her feet and nearly collided into a suit of armor at the thought and Draco grabbed her around the waist, pulling her back before she could knock over the ancient item.

"Walk much, Weasley?" he asked mockingly and she pulled away from him quickly, shooting him a nasty glare.

"Don't touch me," she snapped, hurrying further ahead of him. "I can find my way to my own dormitory."

Draco gave a contemptuous sound and she turned around to face him.

"Obviously not," he replied, motioning around them. "We've been headed for the Head common room for a while."

Ginny's eyes widened and she looked around to realize that he was correct. She had not been paying attention at all. Releasing a cry of frustration, she stormed in the right direction towards the Gryffindor House, but he grabbed her arm before she could make it past him.

"What is wrong with you?" he asked curiously. He had picked up on her bad mood several minutes ago before she even went flying for a hug with the armor. He had his thoughts about what was irking her and it amused him that she would let such things bother her, especially when it came to him. "You're not jealous of Parkinson, are you?"

Jackpot.

Her eyes widened at his guess and she yanked her arm away from his grip, infuriated by how accurate he was. However, she was not about to let him have his moment in glory and decided to turn the tables on him.

"I'm not the only one," she hissed. "I saw the look in your eyes when you came into the Hospital Wing."

Unfortunately for her, Draco was much better at hiding his surprise at her bluff. Not even a tremor of the lip and her heart quickly began to thump in her chest when he advanced on her, cornering her against the wall.

"You think I'm _jealous_ of Potter?" he asked in such a way that made her feel stupid, despite the fact that she was right. A smirk came to his lips and she once again was angry at herself. "Are you two going to run off together now that you've held hands?"

Draco was genuinely surprised when he saw tears come to her eyes and she shoved him away, half running, half walking down the hall towards the Gryffindor House. Perhaps she was more upset about the whole Parkinson thing than he suspected.

Checking to make sure they were not being followed, Draco took advantage of his long legs to catch up with her sprint and he snatched the back of her robes, tugging a little to slow her down.

"Let go of me, you self-righteous pig," she snarled, slapping his hand away and continuing down the corridor. She wiped furiously at her eyes and began to run, hoping that he would eventually give up and let her be. She wasn't sure why she was feeling so emotional all of a sudden, only that being around Draco was bringing out several deep-seeded feelings and she was unable to completely focus on them. She needed to get back to her dormitory and think through things. She needed some sleep.

"Damn it, Malfoy!" she snapped when he nabbed her again and pulled her back. "Leave me be!"

"What the hell are you crying about?" he questioned and she glared at him. Was he really interested in why she was crying or did he just want to watch her squirm?

"I'm not crying," she responded angrily. She tried to get out of his grip, but his fingers were curled tightly around her arm. "Now go away!"

He smirked. "I'm supposed to be escorting you," he said and she punched him in the face. Caught off guard by the attack, Draco staggered back and fell to the ground, clutching his eye in shock. It was not the first time he had been struck by a girl, Granger could attest to that, but it was the first time he was alone when it had happened and upon seeing the look in her eyes, he was a little uncertain on how to proceed.

Ginny bent over him, her eyes filled with fury. "Escort me now," she hissed threateningly before turning on the heel of her shoe and marching off down the hall, which was now filled with the disapproving voices of startled paintings.

"I say, young lady, that is no way to handle a situation," one old man scolded as he hobbled through several painting to keep up with her.

"Oh piss off," she snapped and a woman in a nearby painting gasped.

"How rude!"

Ginny stopped and turned to the painting. "Why don't you…. Draco Malfoy, you pompous git! LET ME GO!" she shrieked when the Slytherin caught up with her, scooped her up and threw her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, ignoring her screams as he carried her back towards the Head common rooms. "MALFOY! PUT ME DOWN! NOW!"

"Stop talking," he snapped, enraging her more.

"PUT ME DOWN! I SAID PUT ME-"

"Shut it," he growled in such a menacing way that she instantly became still, too afraid to continue screaming. His tone, however, did not keep her from complaining.

"Bloody Malfoys," she grumbled, watching the hall go by from her perch on his shoulder. "You think you can just control other people and make them do whatever you want them to." She blew some hair out of her face and shifted around on his shoulder. "Should be castrated, the lot of you." She elbowed his back. "Bunch of sheep in wolves clothing. A bunch of arrogant, insensitive, murderous, pompous sheep in wolves clothing."

Draco sighed and patted her rear, briefly enjoying the curves. "Are you done?" he asked coolly and she hit him in the head.

"Touch me one more time, you rat bastard," she snapped. "Touch me one more time and see what happens."

"You're not all that pleasant, you know."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "I'm not all that pleasant? You're the one kidnapping me," she muttered and he laughed.

"I'm doing this for your own good."

All he heard was something about a wand and his arse, but he refrained from asking for clarification. He just laughed and continued on his way back to the Head commons. When he entered, he felt her begin to shift and squirm when he started up the stairs to his dormitory and by the time they reached his room, she was once again screaming at him.

"Malfoy, let me down!" she demanded. "Put me down, this instant!"

Ginny released a yelp when he dropped her on his bed and she was about to make a run for the door when she noticed that he did not join her. Instead he headed for the closet and took off his robes. Pursing her lip, she watched silently as he started to change, looking away only when his shirt and trousers were removed from his body. Ginny gasped when she felt his breath on her skin and his arm circle around her stomach.

"You going to get ready?" he asked huskily and she struggled not to turn around and kiss him right then.

"Get ready for what?" she replied breathlessly and he chuckled at her reaction to him.

"For bed, Weasley," he murmured into her skin before disappearing again. Ginny turned around to see him go into the bathroom and close the door a little so she could only see the mirror. At first she thought that he was joking, but when she realized that he had no intention of deflowering her that night, she jumped off the bed and hurried over to the bathroom door, peering in to see him brushing his teeth.

It was a strange thing to behold, seeing Draco Malfoy perform a task as ordinary as dental hygiene. Somehow the thought of him doing such things had never crossed her mind. She always thought that he was just born with perfect hair and teeth.

Apparently he worked for it just like everyone else.

She wrinkled her nose when he spat into the sink and watched silently as he rinsed and then peered into the mirror at himself. She wondered if he, like so many girls in Hogwarts, loved what he saw, or analyzed every microscopic flaw that no one else could see.

Was he just as vain as he portrayed himself to be?

"Bloody hell, Weasley," he muttered, touching the bottom of his eye gingerly. "What the hell was that for?"

Ginny did not even realize what she was doing until she was right up against him, his face in her hands as she carefully examined the growing shiner on his face. Her eyes moved over the dark bruise beginning to form and she shook her head.

"It doesn't look that bad," she told him. "My brothers have had worse."

Draco looked her over with a smirk. "Have they?" he replied and suddenly she felt self-conscious. She was standing there, still in her uniform while he was wearing nothing but Slytherin pajama pants. Her hands were still clutching his face and she just realized how close they were standing, causing her face to become just as red as her hair. She could feel her heart pounding against her chest, struggling to be released and she could have sworn she saw the vein on his neck quiver. Suddenly, a sheet of cold sweat fell over her and Ginny gently released his head and brought her hands down behind her back, lowering her gaze to her shoes.

"I should go," she mumbled and he snorted.

"Nonsense," he responded, moving past her as if the moment had never happened. "I'm sure we can find you something to wear." Ginny whirled around, her eyes filled with an emotion Draco recognized instantly and dealt with quickly. "Nothing Parkinson has worn," he added and she visibly relaxed, following at a safe distance back into his bedroom. He was in his closet for only a moment before he reappeared with what looked to be a Quidditch jersey. Upon closer inspection, she realized it was his. Unsure, she looked up at him and he shrugged.

"I've nothing for girls in that closet," he told her. "I don't expect them to stay long enough to set up house." He pushed it into her hands and pointed to the bathroom. "Go change."

Ginny's head was swirling now and she felt a little sick as she walked back to the bathroom. The way Draco was acting towards her was unnatural and extremely unnerving. He was not seducing her or forcing himself upon her. He was acting as if…

Shaking herself out of the revere before the statement could be finished, Ginny looked down at the jersey in her hands and then walked into the bathroom.

"This is heresy," she called out as she changed and he laughed, but did not respond. The sound made her heart melt and her knees tremble, spurring her to dress faster. She practically stumbled back out of the bathroom, causing him to raise an eyebrow as she blushed and crossed her arms over her chest protectively. "It's big," she muttered, but she quickly realized he was not paying attention. His eyes were moving up and down her legs slowly, as if he were memorizing them. If it had been any other guy, including Harry, she probably would have felt vulnerable and perhaps even violated, but somehow the wanting look on Draco's face emboldened her and without thinking twice, she climbed back on the bed and laid down on top of the dark green comforter. When he did not join her immediately, she looked over to find him staring at her with a strange look in his eyes. She could not help the smile that came to her face as she tilted her head to the side.

"Don't tell me this is your first time in bed with a girl," she said teasingly, but his eyes were anything but. It was as if this was a defining moment in his life and she were witnessing something ground breaking. He moved onto the bed and looked down at her, his eyes burning deep into her.

"It is without shagging her," he replied and the smile on Ginny's face disappeared, replaced by a quivering lip and absolute fear. Not fear of Draco, but fear of the meaning behind his words. For him to do something like this with her had to mean something more than just what had been happening between them before. It had to mean-

"Weasley, stop thinking," he snapped knowingly before he grabbed her face and pulled her lips to his in a breath taking kiss. Their bodies instantly conformed to each other, pressing tightly together as Ginny found herself between him and the comforter. Their lips began to move fiercely against each other and while Ginny's will was quickly beginning to fade away, she had an elated feeling that he would stop before they went too far.

_Oh no… please don't let me… please don't…_

Draco broke away from her and rolled over on his back, breathing deeply and closing his eyes as Ginny gasped for breath beside him. He heard her mumble something and looked over to see her shiver a little. Instinctively, he reached out and pulled her to him, forcing her to turn on her side so she could fit more perfectly against him. Warmth immediately flooded both their bodies and he closed his eyes as sleep began to overtake him.

"Go to sleep, Weasley," he muttered. Ginny watched his breathing slow until she was certain he was asleep before she sat up and ran her fingers through her hair, trying to think through the emotions that had just flooded her.

Something was dreadfully wrong with this and it felt absolutely wonderful. Her heart was pounding and her chest clenched tightly, yet she could still breathe and her mind was suddenly very clear. Biting her lip, she looked down at Draco, taking in his smarting eye and the beautiful lips that had caressed hers only moments ago. Tentatively, she leaned down and brushed her lips against his, wishing he would respond. But he remained still and she sighed, pulling away and staring at him.

It was too late to leave now. The damage had already been done and she saw no way of fighting out of this one, so instead she released another sigh and laid back down, resting her head in the crook of his shoulder and closing her eyes.

Perhaps in the morning, they would both regret their decision, but as for now, they both slept through a dreamless night, thankful to be rid of all the nightmares.

**A/N: I hope you all liked this chapter and hope to hear your responses!**

**NoReins94: **The section at the end was an accident that was supposed to be used during the Quidditch scene. I love the parts between Ron and Draco. They're my favorite parts. I'll try to add some more, but as you can see from the next chapter that it's going to get a bit dicy. The next chapters will come in a while.

**AngeliqueBlack:** The endings in the next couple of chapters will be anything but sweet. You'll see.

**R/R!**


	14. The End Game

_You cannot be lonely if you like the person you're alone with._ **-Wayne W. Dyer**

* * *

"Busy? What do you mean, he's busy?" Pansy sneered, facing off with Goyle in the common room. Crabbe was sitting in the corner watching hesitantly as the furious vixen pressed the issue. Goyle's statement even caused her to forget that her audience included Hermione and Ron, who were descending from Hermione's room after retrieving some books she had left behind. "What's he busy with? Some tramp?"

Goyle's eyes flashed over to Ron quickly before he motioned to the exit. "He's not seeing anyone, Pansy," he replied as if he had rehearsed the words hundreds of times before. "You need to leave."

"I need to talk to him," she demanded. "NOW!"

This seemed to put the large boy on the defensive and he pulled his wand out. "Piss off, Parkinson," Goyle growled threateningly. "Anyone past those doors gets a wand up their arse."

"PISS OFF?" Pansy shrieked. "It is nine thirty in the morning, whoever is up there should have left by now!"

Hermione felt Ron stiffen beside her, but ignored it, instead choosing to address the commotion Pansy was making. "Parkinson, you have to leave," she snapped authoritatively.

"Oh shove it, Mudblood," Pansy hissed and Ron glared at her.

"Say it again, Parkinson and I will," he snarled, pulling out his wand.

Despite her overwhelming hatred for the Weasley, Pansy was outmatched even with the dimwitted Gregory Goyle's wand aimed on her. If Goyle and Weasley missed, Granger most certainly would not. Seething, she stormed out of the common room, followed closely by a nervous Crabbe and leaving behind a resolute Goyle. Hermione turned to them and her eyes narrowed.

"Tell Malfoy that guests aren't allowed in the dormitories and if he continues to do this, I will report him," she warned and Goyle's eyes moved to Ron.

"Speak for yourself, Weasley," he said pointedly and Hermione's face reddened. However, before she could respond, Ron checked the time and pointed to the door.

"Hermione, you're going to be late for your class," he exclaimed and her eyes widened, Goyle completely forgotten. She ran to the door, glancing back at Ron briefly to ask a silent question and he nodded. "I'll check on him." Ron waited until she disappeared before turning to Goyle. "Tell Malfoy he better not have touched my sister," he growled in such a threatening way that Goyle was taken aback. Without another word, Ron headed out of the common, leaving the large boy to stand guard.

* * *

Up in Malfoy's room, Pansy's tirade had gone by unheard. Ginny was curled up beside Draco, with her back to his as she slowly came to consciousness. The stillness around her and the darkness first indicated to her that perhaps she had not been asleep as long as she had thought, but after a moment of keeping her eyes open, she could see shafts of light peering in through the drapes of the window. A window that was not supposed to be there.

Panic was the first thing that flooded her when the fog of sleep began to clear her mind. Nothing felt right about where she was and the clothes she was wearing. Looking down at herself, she realized she was not wearing her usual pajamas and that the sheets covering her were nowhere near the same shade as what she was accustomed to.

What was going on?

Ginny bit her lip to squelch the scream that boiled up in her throat when someone shifted beside her. Turning around her eyes widened to see Draco lying there, sleeping on his back.

For one horrifying moment, she truly believed she had given in to the temptations of the past few months and slept with him, however after taking a few deep breaths, her mind slowly began to ease her into the memories of last night and reminded her of what had really happened.

She was safe, for now…

Taking another deep breath, she stared at Draco for a while, amazed at how unassuming he looked. There were no threats, no seduction. He was just there, suspended in whatever sub-consciousness he subjected himself to, unaware of her presence for the moment.

He was vulnerable.

The realization frightened her for some reason.

What if someone came in?

What if she was attacked and he was lost away somewhere in his own world?

_Calm down, Ginny,_ her mind snapped. _Do you honestly think that would happen?_

No… but the fact that he was asleep suddenly was not as comforting as it had been a few moments ago. She took another deep breath and sat up, looking around the room. It was the first time she had actually seen the room and she realized it was exactly the same as Hermione's except that the furniture was rearranged to mirror the Head Girl room. The colors were also different. While Hermione's maroon and gold made the room inviting, Draco's silver and green, along with the black sheets and drapes only added to the chilling feeling that was beginning to creep through Ginny.

Perhaps this was why no girl had ever spent more than a night with Draco. Everything about the room screamed that no one was welcome.

Glancing down at him again, Ginny tried to understand his behavior and why he failed to do the same to her. She had heard the tales and the only complaint every single girl had made was that he kicked them out before they could even see the light in the window. If his pattern was so ritualistic, then why was he still sleeping?

"I'm not sleeping."

This time, Ginny did yelp at his statement and looked down to see his eyes opening slowly. He stared at her for a moment before he sat up as well.

"You were talking out loud," he told her as he stretched his muscles and she blushed, looking away from him. She had known Quidditch was good for you, but the muscles on his body were ridiculously well-toned. Noticing her embarrassment, Draco tilted his head to the side and stared at her until she looked back at him. "I have my own reasons for keeping you here," he whispered in such a way that left no doubt in her mind that he had sustained just as much damage as she had. This veiled confession caused her to grin and she leaned in and kissed him excitedly, wrapping her arms around his neck as his hands gripped her hips, stopping both of them from falling off of the bed.

Ginny shuddered under his touch and sighed as he pulled her right up against him, running his hands up and down her back. Draco leaned against the backboard for support as their kiss became more heated and physical. Their tongues danced and fought fiercely, matching the intensity of emotions that were cascading through them. He tugged on the Slytherin jersey that covered her body and managed to lift it up over her head, breaking contact only briefly so that the cloth could come off. The feel of his cool abs against her burning skin was exhilarating and frightening at the same time. His actions had brought them only that much closer to consummating a relationship they were still reluctant and unwilling to acknowledge. His lips began to move away from hers, blazing a path down her jaw to her neck, nipping and kissing her skin with a renewed passion.

"Draco," she gasped, running her fingers through his lush, blonde hair as she struggled to breathe. Liquid hot sensations ran down her back, causing her to tremble with want as their bodies pressed heatedly against each other. His hand smoothed over her thigh and with deliberate slowness moved up her leg, torturing her with the anticipation of something unbelievable. Her breathing quickened as his lips caressed her shoulders, drifting down to the cleavage of her breasts, his teeth grazing her skin and causing her to whimper.

Ginny yelped, jolted spastically and fell off of the bed when Draco's fingers slipped under her knickers and brushed her intimately. She stared at him through wide, startled eyes for several minutes while both of them regained their breath. Ginny could see the lust pulsing in his eyes, but was surprised by how quickly it was replaced by another emotion that stunned her.

Regret.

Running a hand through her hair, Ginny shakily got to her feet and looked around nervously. Draco could see that she was close to tears and he suddenly hated himself for it. Without thinking, he reached out to her.

"Weasley-"

Her eyes snapped to him in shock but before he could say anything else she snatched up the jersey and backed up towards the bathroom, unsuccessfully covering herself with the clothing.

"I should go," she mumbled with a trembling lip. "I… I need to get to class…"

He got up off of the bed and she froze, watching him carefully. She was like a deer in the headlights and Draco could tell that one false move would send her running, and for some reason he could not bear to let that happen. What he had just done to her had crossed the line they had drawn several months ago when this entire situation had started, but in the moment he had been unable to help himself. Now he wished nothing more than to take it back, if even just to catch a glimpse of a smile.

"Weasley-"

His advance caused her to stumble back and fall to the ground, flinching and trembling as she continue to keep her eyes trained on him. She felt numb all of a sudden at the look on his face, but she knew her reaction was not from a feeling of violation. What he had done was barely even a factor anymore. It was the fact that despite how close they had come just now, there was a line, a very dangerous line, that they should not cross and it terrified her to think that Draco now wanted to. That she wanted to.

"I… I can't," she heard herself say, though she was not necessarily sure why. Draco had not said anything to promote the words, but she had said them anyway, as if anticipating some sort of persuasive argument. An argument Draco Malfoy of the summer past might have made. An argument Draco Malfoy of two days ago might have made. An argument Draco of three seconds ago had no intention of making.

A commotion outside of the room drew their attention and they could hear an argument making its way up the stairs. A familiar voice broke through the door and startled both of them out of their revere.

"I said no!"

The door burst open and Ginny bolted into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. She slapped her hand over her mouth and sunk to the ground, screaming into her fingers. The adrenaline that had shot through her body when he had touched her was beginning to wear off and she was starting to tremble uncontrollably. Tears streamed down her face and she was beginning to hyperventilate, barely aware of the fury that had entered behind her.

* * *

Pansy had paced the halls for ten minutes after she had been ejected from the Head common room and had watched with seething hatred as Granger and, later, Weasley had left soon after she had. Crabbe was standing in the corner, still rubbing his chubby fingers together anxiously and watching her every move.

_Fat bastard,_ she thought hatefully.

For years Pansy had accepted Draco's need and said nothing even when he deflowered little hussies from other houses. He was a man of very little words and many different responsibilities, granting him the leeway, in her opinion, to treat women the way he did. However lately, her patience with his addiction had run thin.

No longer did she sit still when other girls caressed his leg or gave him an obvious glance. Her blood boiled when she saw girls scramble out of his room under his heated command and she became troubled when she was no longer called to him.

Last night, he should have come back to her after escorting that little Weasley girl back to the dormitory as Warrington told her he had been ordered to do. Instead, he bypassed the Slytherin common room and went straight back to his own room. Alone, she presumed, though he might have picked up some little tart on his way back.

Then why was he refusing to see anyone?

He would answer for this.

Once again her blood began to burn and she headed back for the common room, ignoring the scared look on Crabbe's face. He and Goyle had not been on talking terms for the longest time and after Goyle's threat, he was not eager to go back in there.

Goyle looked up from the letter he was reading addressed to Draco and his eyes narrowed. "Get out, Parkinson."

"Get out of my way," she hissed, pulling out her wand. "I'm going up there."

"He's not seeing anyone."

"Too bad."

Goyle lunged for her, but she was much too quick for him and she was already up the stairs before he could get his wand out.

"I said no!"

Pansy burst through the door in time to see someone dash into the bathroom and slam the door behind them while Draco stood there by his bed, eyes fixed on her with very little emotion.

_So there was someone up here, _she seethed.

"You've been avoiding me, Draco," she voiced and his eyes darkened immediately. She hesitated momentarily and then pointed to the bathroom. "Tell your little bitch to leave. We need to talk."

"I don't have time for this, Pansy," he told her coolly, walking over to the bathroom and twisting the handle.

Locked.

_Damn you, Weasley,_ he thought angrily. In the corner of his eye, he saw Pansy pull out her wand and he held up his hand.

"She's not worth the trouble," he snapped and Pansy's eyes narrowed. She approached him, her eyes shining with hatred.

"Don't forget who your first was, Draco," she hissed. "I think you've forgotten my importance."

"I think you've forgotten your place," Draco growled and she stepped back from him, her eyes clouding over momentarily with thought before she spoke again. This time her voice was calm, collected and filled with conceit.

"We've all fulfilled our duty to the Dark Lord," she said, choosing her words carefully. "Your parents want you to fulfill yours on Saturday."

Draco shook his head. "I'm not taking the Mark," he told her firmly and she raised an eyebrow.

"Why not?"

He grabbed her arm and lifted it up to display the tattoo on her wrist. "I will not be branded like cattle," he hissed. "I will not become a soldier in a war I have no interest in."

"The Dark Lord wants you, Draco," she responded, her voice dripping with fanatical and revolting devotion. "He selected you out of all of us to be his sword here at Hogwarts. You were chosen for something great."

"I will not be a pawn."

Pansy's eyes flared with a sudden arousal and she took his face in her hands. "Then be our leader," she said. "Lead Slytherin against those wankers and let us conquer Hogwarts, returning it to how it should have been. The Dark Lord-"

"Voldemort wants to control me," he sneered hatefully, causing a tiny gasp to escape her lips at the mention of the name. "I will not be controlled."

"When we win, you will control more than ever possible, Draco," Pansy defended somewhat deliriously. "This war is just a means to an end for us, Draco."

"And what is that end?" he asked incredulously and a smirk crossed her lips.

"Power…" Her eyes moved over him and she tilted her head to the side, as if assessing her options. "There's a war going on, Draco," she whispered silkily. "It's been going on ever since we were born and it's coming to its climax." She walked back up to him, pressing her body against his and touching her cheek to his. Her hands moved up to his arms and slid down them slowly. "And like every good orgasm," she murmured into his ear, her fingers curling around his left wrist tightly. "There's a brief pain." She turned her head so that their eyes met and he saw the lust in hers, and a small part of him wanted nothing more than to ravage her right then. "Can you handle that, Draco?" she managed to ask before his lips met hers, both of them forgetting the other occupant of the room.

* * *

Ginny wanted to disappear. She had locked the door after hearing Pansy's voice more clearly in the other room, but fear still struck her briefly when the knob jiggled around in a poor attempt to open the door. After listening to Pansy's little comparison to war and sex, she had become nervous when things suddenly became silent.

Her thoughts raced at what could possibly be happening and while her scenarios were all very different, the outcomes were the same and her chest constricted painfully at the very idea. The thought of the two embracing each other, caressing each other and ravishing each other only made her stomach churn and caused her to suddenly feel a sense of hatred towards Draco.

She knew she had no right to hate him. If she allowed herself to think things through, Pansy had every right to Draco. She was the one constant in his life and Ginny was technically the other woman… the other women were the other women.

Yet the sick feeling refused to leave Ginny and the moment she heard a sensuous groan from the other side of the door, she scrambled to the toilet and heaved. Lustful pleas soon followed along with labored breathing and the sighing of a mattress as two bodies fell on it. The tears Ginny had managed to bury found their way down her face and she threw up again into the toilet, unable to stop herself from trembling.

She hated him. She hated Pansy. She hated all of them.

God, she just wanted to die.

The scream that came from the bedroom at first sounded as if something amazing was happening, but when it happened again, Ginny realized that whatever had been happening there moments earlier had ended abruptly.

"Draco," Ginny heard Pansy yelp in a panicked voice. Ginny pressed her ear to the door in an attempt to hear more. "Draco, your parents-"

"GET OUT!"

A flash of light came from under the door and something hit the floor with a thud and a shriek. Ginny heard the door into the bedroom open and then slam shut quickly. Out of fear of being attacked, Ginny did not come out of the bathroom, opting instead to lie down on the cool marble floor and cry silently. She didn't know why she was crying, only that she wanted to and she was too afraid to do anything else.

It seemed like hours before the bathroom door finally opened and Draco walked in to find Ginny asleep on the ground, clutching her clothes in her fingers. Tear stains marred her pale cheeks and she was still shaking a little as she slept. He leaned against the counter and stared at her. She looked incredibly vulnerable and weak, though he had a feeling that if he woke her up, she would be willing to hurt him.

Draco closed his eyes and ran a hand through his hair, taking several deep breaths. In the past hours, this entire situation had spiraled out of control at a break neck speed. Pansy had been the main cause for that.

The moment he had gotten her on the bed, she had begun to spill her guts about what her mother had planned for him when he went to Hogsmeade on Saturday. The first injury she had sustained after that had been an accident. The second one had not been.

Pansy had been slow in her retreat, which did her a great disservice when he aimed his wand straight at her and struck her with the Cruciatus Curse. She disappeared after that.

It had taken him two more hours to remember that Ginny was still there.

The girl may not have had Pansy's experience, but she was much better at handling pain than he gave her credit for. He suspected that the redhead would not have run off after he had hit her with the curse.

Then again, Weasley was smart enough not to get herself into such positions in the first place.

Sighing, he knelt down and shook her carefully, watching as she stirred and opened her eyes. She jolted a little at their close proximity before she sat and looked away from him, unsure of what she was to say.

"You have to leave," he said and her eyes snapped to him. The hurt was evident on her face, but he could also see some disgust. Mostly with him. Some with herself. "It's two thirty, Weasley," he told her. "They're going to be wondering where you are by now."

Ginny stared at him for a moment before a question popped into her mind that she could not stop from spilling onto her lips.

"Are you really going to get the Dark Mark?" she asked weakly and his eyes became blank, as if she had turned off the switch in his head. He gazed back at her for the longest while before he stood back up and helped her to her feet, handing her back her clothes before he left her to change. Without answering the question, he made his way to the common room, looking around to see Goyle standing near the exit with two other boys. All three of them looked up at Draco and the two others disappeared quickly, leaving Goyle behind. Draco could see the apology in Goyle's face but ignored it.

There was no time for it.

"I need you to escort Weasley to her next class," he told the boy. "Then I need you to keep an eye on Pansy. Don't bother being discrete about it."

Goyle nodded, his eyes flashing up the stairs. Draco turned to see Ginny standing at the top fully dressed, holding his jersey in her hands. He heard Goyle walk out of the common room and waited until the redhead descended the stairs before speaking.

"I suggest you head to your next class," he said. "Your things will be waiting for you there."

She stared at him blankly before she started to move for the exit. "Have fun getting your Dark Mark," she muttered and he snatched her arm, slamming her into the wall.

"What was that?" he hissed and she glared at him.

"Say hello to your father from me," she said and his eyes darkened. "You'll make a wonderful Death Eater."

"Go to hell," Draco growled and she looked him straight in the eyes.

"I'm already there," she retorted spitefully. "Perhaps I'll tell Harry about your plans on Saturday."

The look of murder on his face was palpable and it looked like he might actually kill her, but instead he backed away from her and began pacing the floor like a caged animal. She watched him from her spot at the wall, afraid that if she moved, he would make sure she never got out alive. It was as if he was weighing his options at this point and she had moments to do something before he took the option that benefitted the Slytherin House.

"I love you," she blurted out without thinking and his eyes snapped to her, startled. For a moment she thought she saw the same sentiment flash through his eyes before they filled with rage.

"Shut up," he snarled, still pacing. Tears pooled in her eyes, but she was not about to back down now.

"Draco, I love you," she said again, with a bit more resolution in her voice. This only seemed to aggravate him even more.

"Shut up."

"I love you-"

"I SAID SHUT UP!" he bellowed, rounding on her and pointing his wand straight at her face. Ginny held up her chin and stared right back at him, daring him to do it. His eyes were blazing at this point, but his hand was trembling as he held the wand, allowing a glimmer of hope enter her. Then she saw it again. The same emotion that was pumping through her flashed so brilliantly in his eyes that she was moved to take a step forward.

"Draco-"

Just as suddenly as it had been there, it was gone, replaced by cold indifference and hatred. "The game is over, get out."

Ginny felt as if she had been kicked in the stomach. All of the air left her lungs and her heart shattered into pieces, leaving her to stand there in horror.

_The game… a game?_

"What?" she breathed, tears rolling unchecked down her face. He pointed his wand to the door.

"Get out," he ordered in a barely controlled voice. He was now shaking all over and she could see him struggling not to hurt her.

"Draco-"

"I said get out!"

Suddenly she became infuriated. Not because he had rejected her, but because he was in denial and she knew it. "What are you going to do?" she demanded angrily. "Toss me out like you did Parkinson!"

Draco advanced on her. "GET OUT!" he roared but she stood her ground.

"You are such a typical Slytherin," she hissed. "You're a coward." Draco could not believe he was actually tolerating this. She was insulting him in the worst possible way yet he stood there, unable to stop her from exposing him for what he was. "It'll probably be better for all of us on Saturday when you go join your father and become the second bastard in your family to have his head shoved up Voldemort's arse!"

Draco's eyes narrowed dangerously. She knew way too much for her own good. Not only had she deduced what was going to happen on Saturday, she knew his father had something to do with it as well.

"If you breathe a word of this-"

She stepped right up to him, their eyes locked in an electrifying hold. Gone was the love she had expressed only moments before, replaced by whatever fury that had been buried deep within her for many a long years.

"You'll do what to me?" she taunted, once again daring him to make the first move. She needed to know how far he was willing to take this and how much she was willing to stand before breaking under the pressure of it all.

He had her up against the wall before she could even react and she released a sob as his body pressed up against hers. She struggled fiercely against him, but he managed to pin her tight.

"I'll kill you myself," he growled into her ear. "You're not worth all of this and I will not give up Slytherin just so you can have your little moment."

"It wasn't a moment," she gasped.

"_Shut up_!" he snarled and she shivered at the hatred in his voice. He pulled away to look into her eyes, lifting up a finger as if to condemn her. "You… you are not _worth_ _it._ You never were." His eyes clouded over briefly with a semblance of pain and regret, but it was quickly crushed by the cold, manipulative power that had wormed its way in and festered in Draco's heart. "Don't think for a second I won't hurt you if you tell someone." He released her and for a moment she just stood at the wall, trembling horribly and keeping her eyes averted from his. Tears were streaming down her face and slowly Draco could feel himself wanting to wipe them away. But before he could make any such move, Ginny struck first, rearing back and punching him so hard that she fell back as well, biting her tongue until she tasted blood.

"If you ever touch me like that again," she whispered, her voice shaking with anger. "I'll kill you too."

* * *

The rest of the day had been an absolute disaster. After running out of the Head common room, she had run into Pansy, reducing Ginny to tears. In the days that followed, Ginny once again fell into a phase of passiveness. Going only to her classes and never showing up at dinner. Harry and Hermione attributed it to Harry's episode in the Gryffindor house, but Ron knew better and after prodding Ginny for answers, he approached Malfoy about it. In a very non-subtle, extremely violent manner that was stopped only when Snape and McGonagall showed up.

Draco had been in constant communication with his mother and after receiving a cryptic letter acknowledging Pansy's message as true, he became distant and irritable, lashing out at anyone who got on his nerves. Warrington did his best to stay out of the young man's way while others gave Draco a wide berth.

A dark shadow had fallen over the Slytherin Prince and everyone within the house knew why. Draco had prided himself on abstaining from becoming part of the idiocracy that he deemed to be a Death Eater. The very name had made him sneer, even when his most trusted of associates had taken up the offending insignia. To be a Death Eater was to lose all identity of self and become caught up in the mass hysteria and drunken obsession that surrounded the object of their worship, Voldemort.

The man, or beast, was a self-proclaimed deity and just as bad as Potter in Draco's book. He loathed the idea of one man seeking to cleanse the world of anything impure just as much as he hated the thought of one boy being the salvation of that same unfortunate world.

There was nothing wrong with impurities. Impurities created the backdrop from which Draco was one of the standards of higher expectations. To wipe out impurities would shove Draco back into a place where he was no longer admired for a perfection he did not actually have, but a number in the long lines of pureblood and half breed fools who claimed superiority through birthright.

God he hated Voldemort.

Draco did not want the Dark Mark and he had done everything in his power to prolong the subject from being brought to closer scrutiny, but now that his own mother was declaring, through carefully articulated and ambiguous wording, that Voldemort himself wanted Draco to take the Mark…

He would have no choice, unless he wished to find himself at the bottom of the Thames with his parents. A death suitable for them, but he preferred a more lavish tomb with his actual name on it. Draco may despise the very ground Voldemort trod on, but he was smart enough to know that his skills were not on the same level as the great evil. Arguing would prove pointless at this stage.

Therefore he would have to accept his fate and receive the Mark, no matter how many nights it kept him up in cold sweats. No matter how many times he knew his station in Hogwarts would suddenly be more valuable and the little game he was playing with the other Houses, unknowingly by way of Blaise Zabini, would quickly become a tool the Dark Lord would use to devastate Hogwarts and bring Dumbledore to his knees.

His words to Ginny still haunted him and her confession left him tossing in his sleep. To believe that she actually loved him was somewhat farfetched. He knew that treating her differently might have created some feelings of infatuation within her but he had truly believed that she would never allow herself to entrench her heart so deeply in him.

His intention after that was to remove himself so far from the situation that it would never torment him again, but that plan had failed when his refusal of her switched love to rage and rage to threats. The fact that she had used his own fear of the Dark Mark effectively against him angered him as well. After that, it had all been a matter of which one would outlast the bluff. Draco had survived. Barely. Ginny's punch had brought him to his knees in every possible way and her threat had nearly destroyed his strength to resist.

Malfoy's were never one for self-loathing, but he found himself surrounded with the disgusting feeling constantly and after two days of wallowing in it, he went to Severus Snape.

"Your concentration is beginning to fade away, Draco," Snape observed as they sat in his dimly lit office. "Your mind is being filled with trivial things."

Draco snorted. "Not so trivial," he murmured, staring at the forbidding stone walls around them. "Not anymore."

"You're letting that girl get the best of you."

"You say it as if it's never happened to you," Draco snapped, drawing out a brief painful look in his professor's eye before it was crushed by indifference.

"And she's dead now," the man replied evenly. "Your logic has gotten you nowhere quickly."

"I do not want the Mark," Draco growled and Severus laughed chillingly at the rather juvenile remark. He had known Draco a long time and understood the boy's unwillingness to assimilate to the Death Eater world, but it still amused Severus that even after all the boy had been through he always seemed to revert back to the little boy still trapped inside of him.

"It is a fate we all must endure, Draco," he said. "For the cost of our allegiances."

"I have no allegiance."

Severus smiled at that and held up a finger. "Ah, and therein lies the problem," he reminded. "A man with no allegiances serves the worst master of all. Himself."

"I'd rather that than Voldemort."

"The Dark Lord would rather you picked a side," Severus hissed. "He would rather you followed after your father and took the Mark."

"I'm not a Death Eater, Severus," Draco snapped. Severus leaned forward and fixed Draco with a serious look.

"Carrying the Mark does not make you a drone, Draco," he told the young man. "It just means that you answer to someone other than yourself."

Draco stood up quickly and moved to the corner, his eyes darkening at the thought. "My parents have debased themselves for the service of Voldemort. Bellatrix has lost her mind because of it and half those bastards can't even find their bullocks anymore," he muttered irritably. "It's disgraceful."

Severus could not help the smirk from reappearing on his face. "And falling in love with the blood traitor is honorable? I'm sure your definitions of the word disgraceful will vary greatly." When Draco failed to protest the first statement, Severus began to go over other reasons why Draco was now against receiving the Dark Mark. He saw how agitated the young man looked as he batted the demons within himself.

The idea of Draco Malfoy actually falling for anyone, especially Ginerva Weasley, had never really crossed his mind. Severus always suspected that Draco would find some unfortunate pureblood virgin his mother approved of, marry the girl and then continue his explicitly sexual affair with Parkinson. It was promising to see that the young man had somehow managed to pull himself, even a little, out of the chasm his parents had forced him into.

"Draco, I spoke to your father," he announced after a few more minutes. Draco stopped moving and his eyes snapped to Severus, emotionless and waiting. The professor sighed and leaned back in his chair. "The Dark Lord is fed up with waiting for you to take the Mark."

"I already know that, Severus," Draco muttered and Severus slammed his fist down.

"I don't give a shit if you know that, Draco," he growled and the young man sat down in his chair. "This is their last chance."

A frown fell upon Draco's face and he sat up straighter in his seat. "What do you mean, this is _their_ last chance?" he asked slowly.

Severus rubbed his hands over his face, releasing a frustrated sound. "If you do not receive the Dark Mark on Saturday… Voldemort is tired of waiting and will move on to another option," he said.

"I don't understand-"

"If you don't receive the Mark during the Hogsmeade trip, your parents are ordered to have you killed."

Severus looked up from his desk and for the first time since he had known the Slytherin, he saw all of the blood rush from Draco's face. He saw traces of fear fill the young man's eyes.

"Perhaps you should go finish your homework," he suggested quietly and Draco snorted.

"I'm about to head into a situation where my parents could quite possibly kill me, and all you can say is to do some homework?" he asked incredulously as he stood up.

"Draco, stay out of trouble," Severus warned. "And stay away from Weasley."

"Which one?"

"Does it matter?"

Draco's mind when to his interaction with Ron Weasley and he ran a hand over his arm, which the redhead had dislocated in their recent fight. Ginny had been there, but had done absolutely nothing to stop her raging brother.

"I suppose not." He took a deep breath and walked to the door. "Not anymore, anyway."

**A/N: Not much to say. On to the next chapter. (When I publish it.)**

**Chapter Tease:**

_"Do you think we'll all survive the war?" Luna asked suddenly, her nose still glued to the menu. _

_Harry's head snapped to her and Ron shifted in his seat and tilted his head as if to figure out whether she had said what he thought he heard. "What?" he muttered and she looked up at them. _

_"Do you think we'll all survive the war?"_


	15. The Mark

_It is a sin to believe in the evil of others, but it is seldom a mistake._ **-H. L. Mencken**

* * *

It was Saturday. And it would be the last Hogsmeade trip for the rest of the year. And most people were bound and determined to enjoy it. Carriages had already left for the little town and Ginny found herself walking with her brother, Luna, Hermione and Harry down to the town. They had managed to drag her out of bed and convinced her that coming along would do her some good. Harry, Luna and Hermione walked up front while Ron hung back with his sister, watching her carefully as she stared blankly at the ground.

Ginny was lost in her thoughts, her mind going over the events that had happened. Things had spiraled horrifically out of control after he had touched her and she could not help the hatred that continued to boil up within her. She had been drowning in it for days now. It suffocated in her sleep and covered her in cold sweats when she woke up crying. It filled her with impassioned daydreams of some outlandish demise and her mind with calculated bitterness. Yet all she could do was sit there and listen idly as people spoke around her, unable to voice the hell she was currently living in.

She had given him the one thing she had held back from even Harry Potter out of fear of being ripped apart and now she was being consumed by loathing. He had threatened her to a point in which she truly believed he hated her as well and that only fueled the hatred.

Still, even to this day, the thought of him becoming something awful and sinister made her sick and she wanted to help him.

"Watch it, Weasley!"

Ginny collided into Draco as he stepped out of the Three Broomsticks and her eyes widened briefly before she took a step back and mumbled some semblance of an apology. Draco's eyes hardened upon realizing how disconnected she looked but said nothing of it, instead moving around her and continuing on his way.

"Learn to look next time," he growled. He was followed closely by Goyle, Warrington, Crabbe, five other young men and Parkinson, who also looked a bit unstable. Every single one of them noticed how much paler the Slytherin Prince looked that day, but did not comment on it.

Hermione took Ginny's arm and steadied the girl. "Ginny, are you-"

"Please stop asking me that question," Ginny snapped, disappearing into the Three Broomsticks, followed by her simmering brother and Harry, who looked extremely worried. When they sat down, Ginny instantly knew something was going on when Harry asked to switch places with Ron so that he could sit next to Hermione and have a better view of the door.

"But I'm sitting here," Ron protested, glancing quickly down at Hermione. They had both managed to get past their arguments and were spending more time together, which made Harry's request inconvenient.

Hermione saw the irritation in Harry's eyes and she motioned to the empty seat in front of her beside Luna, who was scanning the menu with way too much interest. "Ron, sit here. We'll be able to see each other better that way," she told him, blushing when she realized she had said the last part aloud. Coughing, she got up and motioned to the bar. "I'll go get us some drinks."

Harry smiled but said nothing of it, preoccupied with the two people who had just walked in. Death Eaters, Remus had told him, but they did not seem to know Harry was there. They looked around the crowded restaurant before heading discretely up the stairs.

Ginny ignored all of this, her eyes fixed on the tall boy in the corner. Zabini was talking with three small girls, one of which Ginny recognized as the girl who had given Hermione her letter from Victor Krum. She could have been Zabini's sister, whereas the other two were lighter skinned, one with long, dark brown hair and the other with shorter, frizzy blonde hair. The girls were smiling and chatting quietly with each other as Zabini stared stoically out the window, watching everything with scrutiny. A frown fell upon Ginny's lips and her other predicament was momentarily forgotten by this occurrence.

What were first years doing with the likes of Blaise Zabini?

She knew the man to be one of the most unpleasant gits to ever enter Slytherin. He was probably just as bad as the Malfoys, if not worse, when it came to blood purity and never associated himself with anyone of lesser class than himself, which made her wonder what he was doing. She presumed all of those girls to be pureblood, otherwise he would not have been speaking to them, but…

"Do you think we'll all survive the war?" Luna asked suddenly, her nose still glued to the menu.

Harry's head snapped to her and Ron shifted in his seat and tilted his head as if to figure out whether she had said what he thought he heard. "What?" he muttered and she looked up at them.

"Do you think we'll all survive the war?" she repeated as if saying it for the first time. "Things are getting much worse around London and my father says that Voldemort's preparing to strike soon. It's a wonder we're all still alive now, with what happened in fifth year and sixth year, but do you think we'll survive now with all that Voldemort knows?"

Ron frowned. "What do you mean, with all that he knows? Why would you say such a thing?"

Luna shrugged lightheartedly and returned to the menu. "Voldemort reads minds," she said. "He reads minds and uses what he sees against us."

Hermione returned with drinks for everyone and sat down, glancing over at Luna skeptically. "What are you talking about?"

"The ghosts," Luna replied as if it were obvious. "He must have done something to them."

Hermione bristled at the subject of the ghosts and her eyes moved quickly in Ron's direction before she leaned back in her chair. "The ghosts may be gone because of Voldemort, but I highly doubt he did something directly to make them leave," she said. "They're probably just afraid that if a war happens here, they won't have a place to go, so they left now."

Ron snorted. "To catch rush hour? Must be a mass exodus of ghosts leaving Hogwarts for them all to have left that early," he commented and Luna shook her head, taking his remark to heart.

"They left because of the secrets."

"What secrets?" Harry asked eagerly and Luna shrugged.

"I don't know. But the ghosts all have secrets, which is why they're ghosts. They know something about the school that may help Voldemort, so they left to protect the school," she replied firmly and Hermione leaned forward in her seat.

"This entire school is fortified by ancient spells not even Dumbledore can get rid of," she said tersely. "The probability of Voldemort getting in-"

"He's gotten in before," Luna pointed out quickly. "Four times since he left Hogwarts."

Harry looked up and frowned. "Four?"

"In our fourth year with the fake Alastor Moody, in your second year when he was in the diary Ginny had," she replied, causing the redheaded girl to become stiff beside her. "And in your first year with the Stone."

Ron wrinkled his nose at the memory of the chess game and turned a little in his seat. "That's only three, Luna," he pointed out, beating Hermione to it.

Luna blinked and looked back down at her menu. "Is it?"

Hermione looked a little irritated by this. "Those times don't count," she countered.

"Why not?"

"Firstly, our fourth year could barely be counted because Voldemort never came onto school grounds," she snapped. "The other two times, it wasn't _really_ him in the sense that it was Voldemort's complete self. They were barely even souls."

Luna did not seem to understand Hermione's interpretation of the points she had laid out. "Just because he was never physically on the grounds does not mean he has never been here at Hogwarts, Hermione," she replied evenly.

"But-"

"Excuse me," Ginny muttered, standing up and leaving the table.

"Where are you going?" Ron called when he realized she was not headed for the restroom. She did not answer, disappearing out the door. He turned to Harry and Hermione. "Where's she going?"

None of them noticed Zabini get up as well and leave the Three Broomsticks with the three girls.

* * *

For the last part of the conversation, Ginny had become preoccupied by her run in with Draco. She had seen the paleness in his face and wondered countless times whether or not he was worth the time.

_"You… you are not _worth it_. You never were."_

It was hard to believe she had allowed herself to become so securely destroyed by a man that she could no longer breathe without feeling pain. Without feeling hatred.

She hoped he would endure as much pain as possible.

Ginny continued down the street, looking around but barely aware of her surroundings. She needed to be alone for a while, without listening to talk of the war or Malfoy or school. Her desperation led her to the small clearing on the boundary of town near the Shrieking Shack. She sat on a stump and after another moment to contemplate her life's decisions, buried her face in her hands and screamed.

"Problem Weasley?"

Ginny gasped and whirled around, pointing her wand straight at Zabini. The three girls with him scrambled behind a tree, eyes wide while Zabini just rolled his eyes.

"Put that down before you poke out an eye," he snapped and she hesitated. Her relationship with Malfoy pending, Zabini was not one to be trusted, even if Draco did.

"Leave me alone," she muttered, running a hand through her hair to get it out of her face. Zabini looked her over with very little interest before he walked over to the broken fence and looked up at the Shrieking Shack.

"Believe me, Weasley, I would, but I was trying to do my part in protecting the interests of those whom I actually care about," he replied and Ginny frowned.

"Malfoy?"

His black eyes flashed to hers briefly. "He has a rather disgusting interest in you," he continued as if she had not spoken. "I'd be foolish if I labeled it as an infatuation, but I'll reserve judgment for God. I'll deal with the problem at hand."

"What is the problem at hand?" Ginny asked nervously. The girls behind the tree were now standing by the fence as well, watching Ginny curiously and whispering amongst themselves. Zabini ignored them, choosing to focus his attention on the redhead.

"Warrington," he replied simply, as if the answer were obvious and she had been too thick to realize it.

"Warrington?"

"The baboon with a dick for a wand," he said, causing the first years to gasp and blush furiously while Ginny straightened a bit.

"What about him?" she asked quietly, shivering as the wind began to blow. A dark cloud suddenly fell upon her and a chilling feeling shot down her spine. Looking around, she frowned and pulled her coat more securely around her. Something was wrong. Zabini seemed to notice it as well, but he continued with his statement.

"As you know, Malfoy is receiving a certain gift today," he remarked and she became stiff, verifying his information. "If things do not go as planned, Weasley, Warrington will be the first to make the appropriate actions."

Ginny frowned, not comprehending the information Blaise was giving her. "I don't understand what you mean," she whispered and he rolled his eyes, making her feel even worse.

"Malfoy's time has run out," he said clearly, watching Ginny's face carefully. "If he fails to do as he is told, he will continue to have control of Slytherin, but there will be a target on his head." He felt complete contempt for the girl when he saw that his words were beginning to sink in. She was much too slow for him, but perhaps she had other qualities that Malfoy found endearing. Certainly she was pretty and a pureblood, but past that, there was nothing that Zabini found remotely appealing about her. She was a parasite, just like the rest of those breeding Weasleys. But there was nothing to be done about it. "They'll kill him."

* * *

They were in the woods now and Draco could feel Crabbe trembling beside him, irritating him. But he did not lash out. Lashing out would only go to show that Draco was on the edge and at this point, that was the last thing he wished to show. Instead he looked ahead to where Goyle was walking with Warrington in between them.

Draco snorted at the tactic. Divide him from his one true ally and he will be forced to comply. Smart, though Warrington was not the sort of person he would have picked to stand between him and Gregory. The large boy may not have been quick, but he was more than capable of handling Warrington, especially after what had happened with Zabini. There was no confidence in Warrington's abilities anymore, though Draco's parents did not know that yet.

A smile appeared on Draco's face.

His parents.

A single entity at once feared and superior, and at the same time groveling and pathetic. A dangerous and useless combination in Draco's mind, but that was beside the point. Draco hated them with a passion that rivaled his mutual feelings of Potter and Weasley. For the longest time he had repressed the urge to murder them in their sleep with the knowledge that eventually they would die from some sort of mistake on their part.

They were about to make that mistake.

If things went the way they were supposed to.

He was about to make that mistake.

"There you are Draco."

In past days, Draco would have cringed at the silky deadliness in his mother's soft voice, but now it just made his stomach churn in disgust. They reached a small parting in the forest and he saw his mother standing with four others around her. A small fire was burning nearby, but Draco's eyes were fixed solely on the man coming out of the opposite side of the woods.

"I suppose a formal greeting would be too much to ask for," Draco said, watching out of the corner of his eye as Pansy moved over to stand by his mother.

"You'll receive congratulations when this is over, Draco," Lucius greeted, eyeing his son carefully. He may have always been in horrible situations, but Draco always had a way of worming his way out of them. Not this time. Not with their well being on the line. "I'm glad you finally came to your senses."

Draco's eyes flashed to Pansy. "Well, the thought of imminent death was an incentive," he replied expressionlessly. "I prefer to keep my soul, however little there is left of it."

Lucius smirked. "By the time this is over, you'll have a little bit more of it to keep," he said, motioning to the fire. "You've made the right choice, Draco."

It became obvious then to Draco just how desperate his parents were. Even now in their eyes, he could see the thirst for power. In any other setting, it would have been pathetic and amusing. Now, it was somewhat unnerving.

Narcissa moved to the flames and pulled out her wand. "I'm sorry that there is not so much pomp and ceremony around this as was allotted to Parkinson, Goyle and Warrington, but with all the suspicion of Death Eaters in London and Dumbledore's presence here in Hogsmeade, we will have to hasten our little time together and proceed to endowing you with the Mark," she murmured elegantly.

Draco's eyes watched her movements carefully while at the same time keeping tabs on how the others shifted around the boundaries of their meeting. He could tell that Goyle was getting restless, unsure of what actions he should take. Draco's feelings on the subject had not fully been vocalized.

The look on his father's face expressed the deadliness of Draco's choice at this moment. "Step forward, Draco," he ordered. "The Dark Lord is waiting."

In that moment, all Draco could think about was Ginny's pale face and the tears running down her cheeks. It was an unusual image to pass through his mind, but the instant it was there, he could not get it out of his head.

"Draco," Pansy hissed nervously. His lack of movement was worrying, but she was certain he would take the Mark. "Come on."

His eyes hardened when he saw his mother stick her wand into the flames, twirling it around but he started moving, his eyes flashing to the woods around them as he walked. Draco had never believed in dark omens, but the clouds above him were beginning to get darker and wind was starting to blow in.

"Malfoy, you're wasting my time."

They all swirled around to see a dark figure appear out of the forest, eyes burning red as the snake-like face breathed evil. Draco suddenly felt cold and empty inside, the reason why appearing in the form of three Dementors floating above them. Five cloaked silhouettes guarded the outskirts.

Narcissa and Lucius approached him carefully, bowing and regarding him with the utmost grace. "Lord, we were just about to-"

"Lucius, your incompetence in this matter has tested my patience and I am done waiting for the little whelp to get the Mark," Voldemort hissed, his eyes trained on Draco's frozen body. "I'll deal with it now." The two parents watched as the remnants of Tom Riddle glided over to Draco, looking him over with interest. "You're quite pleased with yourself, aren't you?"

While Draco was not shaking like the others around him, his face was paper white and his heart was pounding mercilessly against his chest. His eyes were averted from Voldemort's, but he did not shy away.

"Pleased?" he muttered and a snide smirk appeared on the twisted lips.

"You're endeavors at Hogwarts have reached my ears and I am delighted to see that such an accomplished man has been produced from such… disappointments," Voldemort told him. "However, your allegiance has been called into question on several occasions. You killed my man over the summer, but I'm willing to put that aside when you take the Mark."

Draco's lips refused to move. Hatred had been boiling up inside of him, replacing the primal fear he had felt only seconds earlier. At that very moment he wanted nothing more than to kill Voldemort and the evil that was before him seemed to realize that. Voldemort leaned forward so that their faces were touching and his eyes narrowed.

"You have a choice to make, Draco Malfoy," he whispered so that only the young man could hear. "You either take the Dark Mark like an obedient boy, or I will kill you. Take your pick."

For the first time, Draco's eyes completely connected with Voldemort's and a surge of adrenaline shot through his veins.

"Draco, take the Mark," Lucius hissed and Voldemort's eyes flared.

"SHUT UP!" he roared before returning swiftly to Draco. "I suggest you choose now."

Narcissa shifted uneasily, her eyes flashing from Voldemort to Draco. "Draco, for Merlin's sakes, take it!"

"I SAID SHUT UP!"

* * *

Ron was becoming anxious. Ginny had been gone for thirty minutes and after the way she had been acting lately, he had a bad feeling about her absence.

"Ron, I'm sure she's just gone back to school," Hermione tried to assure him, reaching out and taking his hand. "But if you want, you and I could go find her after you're done with your drink." Harry and even Luna raised an eyebrow at Hermione's bold suggestion while Ron's ears burned. Hermione flushed and retracted her hand and looked down at her empty glass. "Unless you don't want to," she added and Ron shook his head.

"No, yeah, we can go… yeah," he responded eagerly. "We can-"

A blasting alarm pierced through the air and caused everyone to wince before Harry jumped to his feet, wand out. "That's the Death Eater alarm," he exclaimed before crying out in pain and falling to his knees, clutching his head.

"Harry!" Hermione cried, grabbing him before he collapsed completely to the floor. Luna and Ron helped Harry into a chair while people began running out of the restaurant, eyes wide and searching for the threat.

"What is it, Harry?" Ron demanded. "Harry!"

Harry was rocking back and forth, gasping for breath. "Voldemort," he groaned. "He's here… he's here!"

Ron's heart stopped and he whirled around to face the door. "Ginny," he breathed.

"Ron wait!" Hermione screamed when the boy took off out the door. She wanted to follow after him, but Harry was starting to shudder. "Luna help me!"

"GINNY!" Ron bellowed as he ran along with the crowds of students sprinting back to the path leading to the castle. "GINNY!"

"Ron! Over here!"

Ron looked around frantically and found her standing behind a statue, waving him over. He ran over to her, grabbing her hand and yanking her in the direction of the other students. "Come on!"

_BOOM!_

People screamed all around them as the woods nearby exploded into blazing flames and suffocating smoke.

"RUN!" someone yelled from behind, frightening everyone who heard him. Ginny saw dark figures moving in and out of the fires, a cold feeling flooding her and everyone else around her.

"Ron," she gasped. "Dementors."

He whirled around and saw three wraiths shoot out of the flames and right at them. Pulling Ginny tightly to him, he whipped out his wand and pointed. Ginny pulled out her wand and pointed as well.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

A brilliant Jack Russel Terrier and horse shot out of their wands, scrambling around the crowds and straight for the Dementors. One of them swerved out of the way while the other two were knocked out.

Ginny tugged Ron along, sprinting up the hill with other terrified students.

"RUN!"

**A/N: Sorry for the delay. **

**JustMe1572: **Yeah, I will finish Life After Death, I promise, it's just, the end of that story is getting a bit difficult to write. But it will be finished.

**NoReins94: **Well, at first I think Draco was only interested in a sort of strange, non-sexual relationship, but was in complete denial about the seriousness of the situation, so in an attempt to distance himself from it, he called it a game.

**Nosebleed Nonsense: **Sorry it's taken so long.

**AngeliqueBlack:** I'll get two more chapters to make up the long absence.


	16. Give Us This Day

_Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors._ **-Matthew 6:11-12**

* * *

Draco Malfoy had survived his encounter with Voldemort, though no one knew how and he was not talking. Mostly due to the fact that by the time he had arrived back to the castle, surrounded by hordes of other panicked students, he'd been hauled off to the Headmaster's office by Aurors along with Goyle and Zabini. Moody and a large group of law enforcement had arrived shortly after the alarm had sounded and he had secured Hogsmeade before disappearing into Dumbledore's office as well, along with Severus Snape and two Ministry officials.

Students had been locked down in their respective Houses while Harry and Ron stowed away in the Head common room along with Ginny, Luna and Neville, whom Ron and Ginny had run into on their way to the common room. Remus had showed up after a while and after visiting the Headmaster's office, he stopped by to check on Harry.

"What happened, Remus?" Harry demanded, pacing the floor angrily. "He was here! He was here and he could have-"

"Harry, please sit down," Hermione pleaded, watching him move from her spot on the couch where he was supposed to be lying down. "You need to rest."

Harry shot her a warning look before turning back to Remus. "What happened?" he yelled, causing everyone else to flinch. Remus' eyes moved around the room, taking in the tense forms of some of his former students.

"I can't tell you that, Harry," he said honestly. "We're still trying to figure it out-"

"What does it have to do with Malfoy?" Ron asked, his eyes flashing to Ginny, who jerked slightly in her seat in the corner.

Remus shook his head. "I can't-"

"_Damn it,_ Remus!" Harry snapped. "Voldemort was in Hogsmeade! I don't give a shit what happens to Malfoy!"

Ginny uttered a whimper while Hermione stood up and grabbed Harry's arm, pulling him to the couch. "Harry, stop this and sit down," she ordered. "You're not well!"

Harry shoved her away and Ron rose from the couch, eyes narrowing dangerously. Hermione gave him a nervous shake of the head and he sat back down, but his body remained stiff.

"I'm tired of being left in the dark," Harry growled. "I saw them take Malfoy away, why?"

Remus ran his hands over his head and sighed. "Harry, this is far more complicated than Voldemort showing up in Hogsmeade," he retorted irritably. "Hogwarts isn't locked down because of that. It's being locked down until we can decide what will happen to Malfoy."

Everyone turned to look at Ginny when she released a stifled yelp and they were shocked, except for Ron, Luna and Neville, to see tears rolling down her face. Luna got up and moved over to her, taking her hand comfortingly while Hermione got up from the couch, momentarily forgetting Harry.

"Ginny, what's wrong?" she asked, concern written all over her face. "Ginny-"

"She's fine," Ron cut in, his eyes fixed emotionlessly on his sister. Acknowledging Ginny's distress would only add to the horrible situation his sister was going through and he was not about to allow her relationship with Malfoy to become so public.

"Ron, she's crying," Hermione snapped, horrified by his cold response. "Ron-"

"She's fine," Ron growled, still looking at his sister. "It'll probably be best when Malfoy get's expelled." At this, Ginny shoved her fist in her mouth to keep from crying out and she pulled her legs up to her chest, burying her face in her knees.

"Ron, what is wrong with you?" Neville snarled, getting out of his seat to see if Ginny was okay as well. "Ginny-"

"I'm fine," the redhead snapped suddenly, getting up from her chair and hurrying up the stairs into Hermione's room, slamming the door behind her. Harry, Neville and Hermione turned to Ron with heated glares while Luna walked up to the dormitory door and placed her hand on it as if trying to get through. Remus had been watching Ginny the entire time and was curious to her response rather than her brother's supposed indifference.

A sound at the portrait entrance, however, stopped him from questioning them about Ginny's condition and a moment later, McGonagall walked in with Dumbledore.

"Remus, I need to speak with you," Dumbledore said the moment he came in. Harry started for the Headmaster, but McGonagall shook her head sternly. A strange look fell over Harry's face as he watched Remus leave with Dumbledore while McGonagall stayed behind. Ginny appeared at the top of the stairs, her eyes assessing the situation quickly.

"What's going on?" Harry asked when they left, his voice quieter than before. Obviously Dumbledore's ignoring him had sobered him up. McGonagall turned to them and sighed.

"This afternoon, Draco Malfoy met with his parents in what we suspect to be an attempt to receive the Dark Mark," she told them in a very rehearsed manner. Ginny rushed down the stairs, grabbing the back of the couch in anxiousness. Harry opened his mouth to say something and she held up her hand to stop him. "Mr. Potter," she snapped. "I suggest you remain silent until I am done unless you would like me to place you in detention for the rest of the term like Mr. Weasley over there." Harry's lips clamped shut but it was obvious that her words had stung him bitterly. Satisfied with his silence, McGonagall returned to what she had been saying. "I cannot give you all of the information, but it has been confirmed that Mr. Malfoy has _not_ received a Mark of any kind." In the corner of her eye, she saw Ginny sink to the floor, disappearing behind the couch. Harry, on the other hand, seemed miffed by this information.

"You mean he's not a Death Eater?" Neville asked, voicing the question everyone else had been thinking. McGonagall's eyes shifted to Ron, who had also seen his sister disappear behind the couch.

"We are still investigating what happened in the forest," she told them carefully, her eyes moving strictly to Harry. "Until then, I suggest you all give Mr. Malfoy a very wide berth."

"You mean he's still _here_?" Harry could not help but demand. Luna, Neville and Hermione watched the interaction closely.

"Mr. Potter, there is no evidence to suggest-"

"But he-"

"Mr. Potter, I understand your dislike of Mr. Malfoy, but if you continue to accuse him of being a Death Eater simply because his father-"

"And mother," Ron piped in, earning him one of the meanest looks from McGonagall.

"Simply because his _father_ is a verified Death Eater, then I will have to suspend you from this school for slander," she snapped. "I do not like the situation just as much as you, but I suggest that you refrain from passing judgment until all of the evidence is in." Without another word, she turned and walked out of the common room, leaving behind a very upset Harry.

Hermione could see the young man's hands shaking with rage and she reached out to touch his shoulder. "Harry, we can't assume that Malfoy was trying to get the Dark Mark," she whispered, knowing exactly what her friend was thinking. "Harry-"

"You know just as well as I do that's exactly what he was doing," he growled.

Luna looked up at him. "Perhaps he was just meeting with his mother-"

"He's a God damned Death Eater!" he screamed and Ginny suddenly appeared.

"STOP IT!" she screamed. Tears were streaming down her cheeks and she seemed to have trouble breathing. Ron stood up quickly and grabbed her, pulling her back up to Hermione's room. "Let me go!" she growled, yanking away from Ron and glaring at Harry. "You don't know anything, Harry!"

"Ginny, what are you talking about-"

"HE'S NOT A DEATH EATER!" she yelled as Ron dragged her up the stairs. "You don't know anything!"

"Ron, what the hell are you doing?" Neville protested as Ron opened Hermione's door and shoved his sister inside, slamming the door behind her and locking it with his wand. The others had stood up, having watched the entire thing in horror. They could hear Ginny screaming obscenities on the other side of the door as she pounded her fists against it.

"Ron, what is wrong with you?" Hermione demanded.

The portrait door shot open and Draco Malfoy walked in, followed closely by Goyle and Zabini. His eyes were blazing with fury and they were all surprised to see bruises on his face and his torn and blood soaked clothes. It was a Malfoy they had never witnessed before.

"You son of a bitch," Ron growled from the top of the stairs. Draco's eyes flashed around him and then he walked towards the steps up to his room. Harry pulled out his wand and pointed it straight at Draco's back. Goyle and Zabini whipped out their wands, training them on Harry and the others.

"Try it, Potter," Goyle growled. "Try it and lose a leg."

Ron ignored the threat, walking straight up to Draco. "I swear to God, Malfoy," he snarled. "If I ever find out what you did to my sister…"

Draco's eyes became dark and murderous. "Screw you, Weasley," he hissed, starting up the stairs.

Ron snatched his arm and yanked him back, eyes glinting with hatred. "You thick piece of sodding shit," he whispered so that only Draco could hear. "I don't need a reason to kill you."

Draco leaned in so that their faces were a hairsbreadth apart. "Neither do I."

The door from Hermione's bedroom burst open and Ginny stumbled out. "Ron, you bastard!" she screamed before her eyes fell upon Draco. Her entire body seemed to drain of blood but she remained where she was, glaring hatefully at him. Draco's eyes narrowed but he said nothing, going up the stairs and disappearing into his room. Goyle and Zabini pocketed their wands and slipped out of the common room, leaving behind confusion. Those in the common room watched as Ron walked back up the stairs, eyes fixed on his sister.

"Ginny," he whispered, heart breaking at the sight of her. "Ginny, please…"

She released a whimper and leaned fully into her brother, crying silently as he held her. She cried because if she didn't, she would run into Draco's room and probably never come back. She cried because doing anything else probable would have killed her.

* * *

In the next few days, everyone began to see a change in Draco Malfoy. His appearances in the Great Hall dwindled with every passing day and in classes he rarely spoke, choosing to sit quietly in his seat and complete his tasks with record time and leave before everyone else had even left their seats. Rumors passed throughout the school that he had actually received his Mark, however after a fifth year Slytherin actually attacked him on his way out of the Great Hall in front of several students, it left no doubt in everyone's mind that something was dreadfully wrong. They later learned, by way of an anonymous ad in the Daily Planet, that Draco had a price on his head.

Voldemort wanted the boy dead.

After that, people avoided him as much as possible while the Slytherin House began to crumble at breakneck speeds. The house was divided and it was Warrington at the helm of that division. The ad from the newspaper had provided Slytherin with just enough tension to reveal where loyalties really lay and Draco was no fool. Neither was Dumbledore. The Headmaster quickly assigned Aurors to the Head dormitories as well as the rooms of those closest to Draco, knowing full well that someone would eventually try to kill one of them in an attempt to please Voldemort.

The news of Draco Malfoy's problem struck a stunning blow to Gryffindor, all of whom had believed the blonde to have been in cahoots with Voldemort's appearance in Hogsmeade. Harry especially began to sulk, unable to get answers from Dumbledore on the reason to why Malfoy's life was in such danger. He began sending letters to Remus and spent most of his time sifting through what little information the werewolf was able to offer. Hermione and Neville offered their assistance in this matter while Luna wandered the libraries in search of books that would give Harry a better insight into the world of Hogwarts' ghosts and other secrets that the school happened to hold.

The only good thing that seemed to come out of the entire Hogsmeade situation was that Ginny had returned back to normal. She conversed eagerly with the others and helped out as much as possible while completing all of her work and dealing with Quidditch practices. She and Ron spent quite a bit of time in the few days that passed since and after Ron had a severe talk with all of them, no one asked any questions about the reasons for Ginny's breakdown.

"There he is," Ginny murmured as she and Ron stood on one of the outdoor passageways that overlooked the courtyard. Draco was crossing the crowded area with three boys flanking him, wands at their side. An Auror was trailing them at a distance. People readily moved out of Draco's way, eyeing him fearfully as he walked along. Ginny watched him go and sighed. "And there he goes…"

Ron looked her over carefully. "I thought you were okay."

"I am."

"Are you sure?"

Ginny took a deep breath and turned to face her brother. "You were right about him manipulating me, Ron," she whispered. "But I'm okay with it now."

The look on her face said otherwise and Ron somehow felt responsible for it. He should have protected her from this. He should have ended their pseudo-relationship before it could have even started. "Why do I feel like you're lying to me?" he asked and she shrugged.

"Because you don't believe me."

"Ginny-"

"I've got to get to class," she muttered, pushing away from the railing and wrapping her cloak more firmly around herself. "I'll see you later." She met up with Luna on her way down to the green houses, smiling as some of the plants greeted them with friendly chirps. They had arrived early and the professor was not there, so they wandered around, stroking some of the plants while giving others a wide berth.

"Hey Ginny."

The two girls turned to see Dean Thomas walking over with Seamus Finnegan close behind him. Ginny smiled. "Hey Dean," she greeted. "What are you doing here?"

Seamus motioned over his shoulder to where a couple of other Gryffindors were appearing. "A few of us had to finish a project before the snow came," he explained.

Dean's eyes took in Ginny quickly and appreciatively before he spoke. "Are you okay? I heard you'd been feeling sick," he explained and she shook her head, mentally cursing Hermione for her huge mouth.

"I'm fine," she assured him. "Just a stomach virus or something."

"You sure?"

Ginny hated how concerned Dean looked. His interest in her still had not died down, despite her previous entanglement. She still liked Dean, but she was unsure of whether it would be appropriate to go back to him after going through Harry and Malfoy.

"Yes, I'm sure," she replied.

Luna tugged on her cloak. "Time for class, Ginny," she reminded, starting off for their green house.

Ginny gave Dean and Seamus a smile before heading in the same direction. A thought crossed her mind and she turned back around to face Dean. "I'll see you later?" she asked and he nodded, offering a smile.

"Definitely."

* * *

"Albus, the only thing I can suggest at this point would be to evacuate Hogwarts," Severus offered from his seat and the other three Heads of Houses frowned.

"Evacuate, Severus?" McGonagall repeated. "We cannot evacuate these children and send them back to their homes based on an ad in the paper."

"Voldemort wants Draco dead, Minerva," Severus pointed out and Professor Flitwick snorted.

"Voldemort wants Harry Potter dead as well, but we have not shut down the school yet, have we? What makes Mr. Malfoy so special, besides your connection with him and his family?" the diminutive man demanded and Severus' eyes narrowed.

"Voldemort wishes to kill Harry himself," Severus hissed. "The ad means that anyone at this school is liable to kill Draco. Already three students have been expelled for trying to kill him. It will only get worse and this time they won't attack him directly. Would you like other students to die?"

"Slytherin was a dying house anyway," Flitwick sniped and Severus stood up from his chair.

"Excuse me?"

"Severus, please sit down," Dumbledore requested calmly, waiting until the professor was back in his seat until speaking again. "If we are to expect our students to get along, we ourselves must get along as well." The two men glared at each other but said nothing else, allowing Dumbledore to continue. "Severus, we cannot evacuate the school unless Hogwarts itself is threatened."

"By the time that happens, it will be too late," Severus responded heatedly. "Voldemort's very presence in Hogsmeade is a testament to his impatience."

"I was under the impression that the reason he was in Hogsmeade was because of Draco Malfoy," Professor Sprout said softly. "Is that correct?"

Albus sighed and removed his glasses, rubbing the bridge of his nose with his fingers.

McGonagall watched him for a moment before turning to the woman. "From what we have gathered, Mr. Malfoy was in the forest with his parents when Voldemort appeared. We're not exactly sure why he showed up," she told them, her eyes turning to Severus quickly.

The Potions professor's eyes darkened and he sat up straighter in his seat. "All we know is that after the events at Hogsmeade, Voldemort wants Draco Malfoy killed," he said stiffly. His eyes turned to Dumbledore. "Albus, all of this is leading up to an attack. Voldemort is tired of waiting and the longer Potter stays alive, the angrier he becomes. He will attack this school."

"But we cannot evacuate, Severus," McGonagall pressed. "The school has not been threatened."

Dumbledore put his glasses back on and nodded. "Minerva is right," he agreed. "We shall not frighten the students with talk of an evacuation. As for Mr. Malfoy, we have already placed more security around him. There is nothing else we can do except continue on."

"And if a child dies Albus?" Severus asked evenly, standing up to leave. "How many Cedric Diggorys will pile up before this school is finally shut down?"

* * *

Ginny resigned herself to the practically empty Gryffindor common room, reading a book in the corner while others milled about, playing chess, talking or finishing homework. She had seen Harry leave earlier and she knew he was searching for Ron or Hermione.

She didn't mind. She liked a moment to herself. Even if it was short lived.

"Hey, Ginny."

Looking up, Ginny felt her heart jump at the sight of Dean and she managed a smile as he sat down beside her.

"I'm not interrupting, am I?" he asked, motioning to the book in her hand and she swiftly shook her head.

"No," she answered, shutting the novel and placing it on a table nearby. "I was just passing time."

"Oh."

Suddenly Ginny felt nervous and she rubbed her sweaty palms against her jeans to calm herself. "Have you heard anything from your parents?" she asked and he snorted.

"Mum's relentless," he answered. "She's keeping me updated on every little thing that happens in London. It's really quite ridiculous the things she'll talk about…. you?"

Ginny smiled. "My mum's upset as well," she replied. "But with seven children, you can hardly expect her to try to control every little thing."

Dean laughed and nodded. "I suppose not."

It then became apparent to Ginny that the boy had been scooting closer to her the entire time they had talked and before she knew it, their faces were really close as she continued to speak.

"All I'm worried about is getting through classes," she muttered.

"Potions," he agreed and she could not help but laugh.

"Well, at least it's your last year," she pointed out. "I still have one more."

Dean tilted his head to the side, examining her face carefully. "I hope we'll be able to see each other after that," he said hopefully and Ginny bit her lip.

"That'd be nice."

A split second before Dean kissed her, a thought popped into her head that caused her to gasp.

_What would Malfoy think?_

Unfortunately, this little gasp happened right as Dean's lips made contact with hers and he took her parting of the lips as a signal to deepen the kiss. For some strange reason, Ginny felt helpless to stop what was happening, unaware that their small kiss had soon become a snog in the Gryffindor common room. It was not that Dean had completely hijacked the situation, it was just that her mind became so preoccupied by that one silly question that she did not realize how far they had gone until Dean groaned as she slid onto his lap.

Just as quickly as it had all happened, Ginny pulled away, staring at Dean for a moment while she tried to figure out what exactly was happening.

Sure, she had enjoyed the brief intimacy that Dean had given her, but this only heightened her want for something more… fulfilling. Something only an insufferable, bleached ferret could offer her.

"Ginny-"

"I think you should go," Ginny cut in suddenly, instantly regretting how quickly she had said it.

Dean's eyes filled with hurt and confusion as he gently pushed her off of him and stood up. "Sorry," he mumbled before he left the common room.

Ginny released a groan and buried her face in her hands, bemoaning her situation. She had not meant to sound so rude, but her realization at how empty their kisses had been to her and her unwanted yearning for the Slytherin had been so unsettling that she needed to be alone.

"What is wrong with you?" she asked herself as she heard the portrait door open. For a frightening second, she feared it might have been Dean.

"Where did you go?" Parvati asked as she and Seamus walked through the entrance.

"Outside for a minute," he answered while Ginny returned to pitying herself.

"We're not allowed outside, Seamus," she snapped irritably. "Why would you do something like that?"

"I had to get something I left in the green house," he replied and Parvati shook her head.

"I don't understand why you missed it though? You told me you would be there."

"I'm sorry Parvati, but I had to," he retorted. "Besides, something strange is going on."

Upon hearing this, Ginny looked up and watched the couple move to a table and sit down.

"What are you talking about?"

Seamus looked around quickly before he leaned forward. "There were twenty Aurors out by Hagrid's Hut," he said. Ginny strained to hear the rest of the conversation, but his voice got even lower after that, making it impossible. She frowned and turned to look out the window she was sitting by, wiping the foggy glass to get a better look outside. Night was starting to fall and at first all Ginny could see were the silhouettes of the mountain peaks in the distance. The lake began to sparkle a little in the twilight hour and then Ginny saw something strange moving around the shore. Wand lights lit up a small area near the woods, illuminating the many figures that were moving around out there. But there was something else there.

"What…" She stood up and leaned against the window, trying to get a better view.

"Oh my God!" someone screamed from another window. "There are bodies in the water!"

Ginny tried desperately to see who it was, but from their height it was impossible to see anything distinctive. Only that there were three bodies and they were small…

People were starting to rush to the windows and she squeezed out, looking around frantically for a certain little girl. Upon realizing that she was not there, she ran out of the room, heart pounding wildly against her chest. She knew she should not jump to conclusions but everything about what she had just seen pointed to only one possible outcome. She ran all the way to the Head common room, gasped out the password and burst in, running straight into Draco Malfoy.

He instinctively grabbed her, holding her up as she cried out in surprise. Their eyes met and she stepped away from him, blushing furiously. Behind Draco, Zabini and Goyle stood up, drawing her attention. Her eyes narrowed and she approached Zabini heatedly.

"Where are they?" she demanded and Zabini raised an eyebrow, stepping away from her to avoid touching her.

"Where are who?"

She grabbed his robes. "Where are they? Where are those girls?"

* * *

Hermione was almost ready for bed when her bedroom door opened and Ron walked in, shoulders sagging and eyes dull.

"Did you just come back from detention?" she asked quietly, fixing her hair up in a ponytail as she watched him sink onto her couch. He nodded silently, resting his head back and closing his eyes. Frowning, she walked over to him and sat down on the couch, pulling her legs under her so that she was more comfortable. She noticed a red residue on his shirt and held her breath. "Ron, is that blood?"

The question seemed to surprise him as well and he looked down at his shirt, touching the stuff before he shook his head and went back to his previous position.

"Sap," he mumbled weakly. "It's just sap."

"Oh…" Hermione sat there for a moment, trying to figure out what to say. It was not often that Ron visited her room without Harry.

"Why are we friends, Hermione?"

The question was so startling that Hermione's mouth fell open and her body went stiff. The way he had asked the question suggested that the answer would be obvious, but when he heard no reply, his worry began to rise. Lifting up his head, he turned to see her still staring at him, lips parted and eyes wide.

"Why… why would you ask that?" she managed to get out, still in shock. He shrugged and looked down at his hands.

"I don't know," he muttered. "I've just been thinking about it, that's all…"

Hermione frowned and reached out to touch his arm. "Thinking about what?"

Ron's eyes clouded over and he leaned forward on his knees, keeping his face hidden from Hermione. A lot had happened in the past few days that had seriously tested his faith in a lot of things. Despite his initial objection and continuous dislike of the pair, he had truly wanted to believe that Malfoy cared about his sister enough not to hurt her in the way that he had. He had believed that Remus and Dumbledore were the only ones they could truly rely on, but it turned out they were keeping all of them in the dark. It had caused him to question his relationship with Harry as well as Hermione.

In the past weeks, he had watched Harry's obsession with Death Eaters grow and while he had never said anything, he worried that Harry was no longer aware of how much he was putting him and Hermione through. He talked incessantly about Voldemort and Malfoy as if they were one being and it concerned Ron that so much hatred and rage was brewing inside of his friend. After the first episode a few weeks ago, Dumbledore had called him and Hermione to his office, explaining that it was necessary for them to keep Harry focused on other things besides Voldemort and Death Eaters. Harry's mind was a dangerous place and if Voldemort ever found a way to get in through Harry's obsessive thinking, the war would quite possibly be lost. They had tried and up until the night of the Hogsmeade incident, they thought they had succeeded, but Harry had just managed to bottle it all up instead. Ron just hoped that in the final moments of the war, Harry would not try to go off on his own to finish it.

As for Hermione, Ron's concern was that this war was beginning to show their friendship for what it truly was. They had met through the perils that had surrounded Harry and the only thing that continued to bring them back together after their fights had something to do with Harry. It caused Ron's chest to constrict painfully at the thought that Hermione was only around him because of her friendship with Harry. While his feelings for her had grown deeply over the past couple of years, their fights had gotten worse and it would kill him if push came to shove and Hermione chose Harry over him.

"Ron, what's wrong?" Hermione asked worriedly, shaking his arm a little. "Please tell me."

"Are we friends just because of Harry?" he asked and she retracted her hand from him, stunned and hurt by his question. She had known for a while that Ron was insecure about their relationship. He always had been and she knew a lot of that was due to Harry and his family. Being the youngest of six boys along with one sister, Ron had been forced into a place of high expectations from a mother who had unintentionally placed him last. All of his brothers had made a legacy for themselves at Hogwarts and moved on to do something with their lives and Ginny, by default, had automatically been special. Ron came in at the time of Harry Potter. While both young men were equally matched in just about everything except perhaps Quidditch, Harry was the one who received most of the attention and most of the praise while Ron remained the best friend who stood in the background and offered his undying loyalty and support. For the first three years, it had not been a problem, but after fourth year, it became glaringly obvious that Ron was no longer completely settled with the arrangement. While it never got as obvious or bad as it did in their fourth year, Hermione would occasionally see bitterness in Ron's eyes when people's heads whipped around merely at the mention of Harry's name.

However, for him to suggest that the only reason she was friends with him was because of Harry was ridiculous. While Harry may have been the reason they were civil to each other in the beginning, Hermione knew for a fact that Harry had absolutely no affect on how her feelings for Ron had evolved over the years.

"Ron, look at me," she whispered. When he did not, she reached out and took his chin in her fingers, forcing him to turn his head. "Ron, you and I are not just friends because of Harry. We're friends because we love and care about each other."

"Hermione-"

The door to her room opened again and Harry stepped in, freezing upon seeing how close Hermione and Ron were sitting on the couch. Hermione pulled her hand away from Ron and bit her lip, feeling him stiffen up beside her.

"Harry," she greeted with a smile. "We were wondering where you were."

Harry saw Ron's eyes darken and he hesitated. "I… I didn't mean to interrupt," he said and Hermione shook her head.

"No, it's okay," she replied, sitting up straighter. "Is everything alright?"

Harry could tell that he had cut in on a very intimate moment and he tried to back out of it before Ron said something. "It's fine, I'll just talk to you later," he muttered. "It's fine."

"Where are they? Where are those girls?"

The three stood up and ran to the door, looking out in time to see Zabini turn around and slam Ginny into the wall, holding her neck at arm's length.

"HEY!" Ron bellowed, charging down the stairs. Draco was faster. He grabbed Zabini from behind and shoved him violently out of the way, watching Ginny fall to the ground, gasping for breath. He then pulled out his wand and pointed it straight at Ron, stopping him in his tracks.

"What are you talking about?" Zabini growled, standing up from being pushed into a table.

Ginny looked around them and then pointed to the window. "There are three dead bodies out there!" she told them, clutching her throat and coughing. Draco's head whipped around, fixed on Zabini, who became incredibly still.

Hermione moved around and helped Ginny to her feet, watching the three Slytherins carefully. "Ginny, what dead bodies?"

She was silent for too long and Zabini bolted out the door. Draco gave a curt nod and he and Goyle followed the boy out while Ron and Harry hurried over to where Ginny was standing.

"Ginny, are you okay?" Harry asked and she nodded.

"I'm fine, Harry," she responded quietly. "Just shaken."

"Are you sure there were dead bodies?" Hermione asked, staring at the entrance. Ginny nodded again and they all exchanged glances.

* * *

"What the hell are those students doing over there?" Moody demanded angrily, pointing to the crowd of teenagers who had started gathering around the perimeter of the crime scene. Many were pointing and gasping upon seeing the bodies pulled out of the water.

Flitwick looked up from identifying one of the three girls. "There are still classes happening, Alastor," he answered nervously. "They need to be removed."

McGonagall and Sprout were standing in the corner, crying silently at the sight of the mangled, swollen bodies of their first year students. Dumbledore was further up on the shore talking with Remus and Snape, his face grave and pale. Aurors were in the woods, scouring for any evidence that would help them with what happened while some tried to control the growing amount of students who had noticed what was going on.

"Hey! You can't go down there!" an Auror protested when three young men forced their way through the crowd and stepped onto the shore, heading straight for where the girls were lying.

"NO!"

It was the first time Draco had seen Zabini show emotion of any kind and it was terrifying to see it come in the form of absolute horror and agony. The boy fell to his knees, gathering up one of the girls in his arms and clutching her lifeless body to him.

"No, no, no," he cried, smoothing out her muddy, blonde hair, mindlessly pulling out twigs and leaves while he rocked back and forth. "NO!"

"Mr. Zabini, you can't touch them!" McGonagall screamed as she and two Aurors tried to pull him away from the little girls. "Severus! Severus!"

"Piss off!" Zabini snarled, shoving them violently away and pulling the other two girls to him. "Oh God!"

"Pull him off of them!" Moody ordered. "Pull him off!"

Draco leaped in and he and Goyle helped drag Zabini away while Dumbledore and Snape hurried over, eyes wide at the Slytherin's unnatural display of emotions.

"GET HIM OUT OF HERE!" Moody roared, pointing back up the hill as Zabini fought his way to get back to the bodies. "NOW!"

They watched Draco and Goyle struggle with the boy, shocked at his reaction. Zabini punched Draco in the face and swung his arm around, blindsiding Goyle before he scrambled back down the hill.

"GRAB HIM!"

Draco and Goyle caught up with Zabini and hauled him back up the hill, aggressively dragging him into the castle.

"Severus, what is going on? What would possess Mr. Zabini-"

"They're his sisters," Dumbledore answered quickly.

"Blaise Zabini has no sisters," Severus snapped. "He's a single child."

"All three of them are from pureblood families and every single one of them was killed over the summer, leaving these three girls orphans," Dumbledore explained. "He has been protecting them ever since."

McGonagall shook her head, motioning to the corpses sadly. "Albus, who could have possibly done such a… _they were children,_" she stammered distraughtly. "They were children, Albus!"

Remus walked over and motioned to them. "I was just talking to the Healer and she's saying that… she's saying that there are signs that they may have been raped," he told them all quietly and instantly the entire mood of the professors changed drastically.

"Oh my God..."

Severus looked up the hill and his eyes narrowed. "Warrington," he growled and they all stared at him.

"Cole Warrington?" McGonagall demanded and he nodded.

"He and Zabini have been at it all year…"

Moody's eyes widened and he motioned to several Aurors to follow him. "And you let him back into the castle?"

* * *

There was an eerie stillness in the Slytherin House when Draco came in that night with Goyle and Zabini close behind him. The common was pretty much empty, except for the ones Draco happened to be looking for. Warrington was flipping lazily through a magazine on the couch while Pansy was sitting beside him, stroking his hair idly. Crabbe was in the corner, trying to read a book for class.

Upon seeing Draco, Warrington's eyes narrowed and he sat up straighter, eyeing the three young men suspiciously. He knew that Draco no longer favored him and was willing to kill the blonde if it came to that. However, when he saw the beginnings of a bruise forming on Draco's face, he could not help but comment on it.

"Get into a fight with your two girlfriends, Malfoy?" he asked curiously and Pansy smirked. Draco's eyes moved over him and then to Pansy, who instantly retracted her hand from Warrington's hair at his gaze.

"I suggest you watch what you say, Cole," he replied. "It'd be a shame to watch you screw yourself up before your time."

"Piss off, Malfoy," he growled. "You're not welcome."

Draco walked over so that he was directly in front of Warrington while Zabini stood by the fireplace, his eyes trained on the dying flames as if his life depended on it.

"Are you responsible for what happened out there, Cole?" Draco asked calmly, his eyes revealing absolutely nothing. A trait Warrington envied and loathed. In the corner of his eye, Draco caught a twitch in Crabbe's arm and received his answer before Warrington could even open his lips.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Warrington responded, a smirk appearing on his face when two of his men appeared from the dormitory. "I suggest you leave before I'm forced to collect that reward."

"Did you kill those girls?" Draco questioned without blinking. He had no time for Warrington's threats. Zabini was still behind him and would wait for Draco's command, but he knew that if Warrington continued to stall, the incensed boy would become violent quickly.

"What girls?"

"Answer the question," Draco ordered and Warrington stood up, his eyes filling with hatred.

"It's hard to believe that the Dark Lord thought you were special," he remarked. "You've got such a bleeding heart, Malfoy."

"Did you kill them?"

"What if I did?"

Zabini's fists flexed noticeably. Draco's eyes darkened a little but remained unreadable. "Answer the question, Cole," Draco said patiently.

"You're a dead man, Malfoy," Warrington taunted. "You're dead."

The first attack was quick. Goyle had been inching around so that he was on the other side of Warrington and before the sixth year could stop him, Goyle had grabbed him from behind and pulled him forcibly into a chair while Draco pulled out a knife and slammed it down into Warrington's thigh. Pansy screamed when she saw it, drawing others out of their dormitories while Zabini swiftly disabled the two boys from earlier. Crabbe stood up from his seat, but did not do a thing, sweat beading on his brow as he watched the situation nervously.

"Shit!" Warrington bellowed, writhing around while Goyle tied him to the chair. "SHIT! YOU BASTARDS!"

Draco sighed and leaned down so that their faces were level. In the corner of his eye, he could see more people flooding into the common room, ambivalent to the situation at hand. This was bound to happen sooner or later and while there were those who hated Draco for what he had done with Voldemort, most of them hated Warrington more.

"Answer the question," he repeated. "Now."

Warrington spit in Draco's face then looked around at the onlookers. Pansy was curled on the couch, watching in horror "Don't just stand there, you dumb pricks!" he snarled. "The Dark Lord wants him dead! KILL HIM!"

Not one person moved, prompting Draco to smirk.

In that instant, power had been returned.

"Cole, I'm going to ask you nicely one more time to tell me what you did and then I'm going to let Blaise blow a hole in your head and see how many of these friends of yours do a thing about it," he said in a sickeningly pleasant voice. Warrington began to shake, from both the adrenaline stampeding through his veins after the attack and the fear that was beginning to trickle down his back at a new realization. He was alone.

"Let me go," he growled and Draco sighed, shaking his head in mock disappointment. Warrington could see the loathing in his eyes and started rocking back and forth in his chair. "LET ME GO!"

"He raped them," Pansy blurted out, unable to listen to what was happening any longer. She was never one for torture. Zabini's head whirled around, his face filling with pain. She started trembling when she saw the look in Zabini's eyes. "He raped them and then he killed them." The moment Draco's eyes were on her, she began rambling. "We told them Zabini wanted to talk to them and after it happened, we dumped them in the lake. I was only there to keep watch. I never expected-"

"YOU BITCH! YOU BACKSTABBING BITCH!" Warrington raged, frothing at the mouth. His eyes were blazing and his body was spasming terribly as most of Slytherin filled the room, watching with passive looks on their faces. Pansy glared at him from where she was, afraid that if she did not, she would end up in the same position.

"You told me you were just going to talk to them, you berk!" she screamed back, hysterical at this point.

Warrington started shaking back and forth in his chair, glaring daggers at all who was watching the spectacle. "BLOODY WANKERS! ALL OF YOU ARE GOING TO DIE!"

Zabini snapped and shoved his way through the gathering crowd and pulled out his wand, stopping only when Draco held up his hand and placed it on the boy's chest. The boy's eyes continued to blaze with an unhinged rage, but he did not continue, grudgingly obeying the blonde's instruction. He would have his moment.

"I'm going to carve you," Zabini snarled murderously, causing the blood to drain from Warrington's face. "I'm going to carve you and then I'm going to kill you."

Draco took a deep breath and snapped his fingers to draw Warrington's eyes. The boy's face was twitching and red as sweat drenched his face and back, seeping through his clothes as he continued to wriggle around in his chair.

"Cole, pay attention because I'm only going to say this once," he snapped irritably while Goyle stepped up and held onto Zabini. "You made a mistake," he said simply. "You made a mistake and you will receive punishment for it."

"Fuck you," Warrington hissed and spit in Draco's face again. Wiping his face, Draco stood up straight, ripped out the knife he had stabbed Warrington with and walked over to the couch where Pansy was still cowering, trembling nervously from her spot. Draco's eyes moved over her with disgust before he leaned back and looked away. He noticed that Crabbe had disappeared.

_Fat, useless coward_, he thought.

"I'll deal with you later, Parkinson," he whispered. All eyes were on him and after a moment, he nodded his head to Goyle, who released Zabini and took a step back, disappearing in the emotionless crowd.

Zabini's eyes became black pools of vengeful hatred and the temperature went down drastically as he twirled his wand around in his fingers expertly. "You killed them," he murmured and Warrington's face became contorted with rage.

"Fuck you," he countered.

"They were innocent."

"Fuck you."

"And you killed them."

"FUCK YOU!"

Zabini flipped the wand over in his hand so that he was holding it like a knife and plunged it straight into Warrington's neck so that it broke through the other side, spraying blood all over the dark boy's face and front. Grabbing both ends of the wand, he wrenched violently and suddenly the room erupted in shrieks and squeals resembling slaughtered piglets, scrambling out of the way as scarlet fluid gushed from Warrington's disconnected neck.

The dismembered body sagged in the chair, which was quickly becoming surrounded with dark red liquid. Almost immediately the crowd dispersed, rushing into their dormitory rooms as if they had never been there. The entire common room became cold and dark again as silence reigned for a short while. All that could really be heard was Pansy's erratic breathing as she stared, terrified at Warrington's beheaded body. Draco looked over the scene quietly and motioned to the stairs.

"Blaise, please take this mess upstairs," he ordered evenly. "It's going to stain everything."

Goyle helped heave the corpse on to his shoulder while Zabini grabbed the head by the hair and swung it back and forth all the way up the stairs. In the corner of his eye, he saw Pansy slip away, not that he cared. He would deal with her eventually.

In one move, he had won the game and was once again in charge of Slytherin. He had removed the one player who posed the biggest threat to him and managed to assert his authority over those who had only moments before this whole thing started wanted to kill him. The only downside in it was that Zabini would no longer be of any use for the next few days. Zabini's connection to those unfortunate girls and his self-control when dealing with Warrington proved the sixth year a perfect ally. It had also proven him a dangerous one.

Pulling out his wand, Draco began to clean up the blood that had not yet dried on the rugs in the common room. It was a quick process and by the time he had gotten rid of the last drop from the banister leading up to the boy's dormitories, the common room door opened and Severus swept in, followed by Moody and three Aurors.

"May I help you?" Draco asked as politely as possible, though he could not get rid of the smirk on his face.

Moody looked around and frowned. "Where is everyone, Malfoy?" he demanded and the young man pointed behind him.

"In their rooms, sir," he answered respectfully, throwing off everyone including his mentor. "After seeing what happened, I thought it would be best if everyone stayed in their dormitories until further notice."

Severus raised an eyebrow. "How responsible of you," he commented while Moody's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Where's Cole Warrington?" he growled. "Where is he?"

Draco's eyes quickly darkened at the demand, but he continued to smirk. "How should I know? I don't keep track of killers and child rapists," he replied in such a pleasant tone that even Moody felt a little sick. One of the Aurors remained by the door while the other two moved around the common room, eyeing everything in sight.

"Child rapists? We never said anything about those girls being raped," Moody growled right before one of the Aurors looking around motioned to him.

"Alastor, we've got blood stains over here," she announced, crouching over the rug where Warrington's chair had been only minutes earlier. "They look fresh."

Severus' eyes met with Draco's and he could tell exactly what had happened, even as the young man's face remained stoic. The other two Aurors lifted their hands.

"Sir, I've got a stain over here also," the older one called.

"Me too!"

Moody turned to face Draco, eyes narrowed. "Where is he?" he demanded again. "Where is Cole Warrington?"

Draco sat down on the couch, relaxing on the pillows. "I don't know," he replied. "Why don't you look for him?"

"What happened here with the blood?" one of the Aurors asked and Draco shrugged.

"A couple of first years got into a fight."

"What happened?" Moody roared and Severus stepped forward, holding up a hand.

"Alastor, I suggest you leave," he suggested coldly. "You're no longer welcome in the Slytherin House."

"Severus, this stain is too big for a bloody pissing match!" Malfoy bellowed. "Where is Cole Warrington?"

Severus pointed to the door. "Get out, Moody," he snapped. "You were brought in here as a courtesy, but now you need a warrant." The Auror's eyes remained trained on Draco for a moment before he motioned for the others to follow him out of the common room.

"I hope you find him in one piece," Draco called from the couch, the smirk on his face growing maliciously. "Sometimes he tends to lose his head."

The portrait door slammed shut and Severus turned to Draco. "Where is he, Draco?" he hissed and Draco shook his head.

"You shouldn't worry yourself with such things, Severus," he answered. "I'm sure Dumbledore needs you to worry about more important things than some missing Slytherins."

Snape's eyes hardened at the phrase. "Slytherins?" he breathed and Draco sighed, leaning his head back and closing his eyes.

"There are some other disappointments," he murmured. "They haven't been dealt with yet."

"Draco, you killed-"

"Don't you have somewhere else to be, Severus?" Draco asked suddenly and Severus stiffened. He knew the pressure Draco was under, but to think that he had actually murdered Warrington…

"When they arrest you, don't expect me to speak for you," Severus whispered and Draco smirked. It was funny how for the first time, he was no longer guilty for what he was being accused.

"No matter," he replied. "I've got a whole house that will say I didn't do a thing."

Snape walked out, leaving Draco alone for a few more minutes before Zabini appeared at the top of the stairs, still covered in blood but diffused of all rage. His eyes met with Draco's briefly before he looked behind him.

"May I kill Crabbe?" he asked calmly, as if asking for a piece of candy.

Draco took a deep breath and rubbed his face, lying down on the couch. "Hogwarts is going to be evacuated," he muttered. "They won't keep us here after this."

"It's safer here."

Draco snorted. "The Ministry will pressure Dumbledore into shutting the school down," he replied firmly. "And we will all be sent home."

"Will that happen tonight?"

"No."

Zabini was quiet for a moment and then looked behind him again, eager to return to the dormitories.

"Then may I kill Crabbe?"

**A/N: Hope you like it.**


	17. Gemini and Leo

**WARNING: Mature Sexual Content.**

_You know you're in love when you don't want to fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams._ **-Dr. Seuss**

* * *

"Albus, I implore you to shut the school down," the Minister of Magic said, sitting down in the chair opposite the Headmaster's desk. Three other Ministry officials were also in the room along with McGonagall, Snape, Remus and an unusually quiet Moody.

"Minister, with all due respect, we cannot send those children back to their homes simply because the Ministry all of a sudden realizes how dangerous this War is becoming," Snape responded coolly.

"Three girls are dead, Severus," Remus growled. "This is hardly the time to be glib."

"This is not the first time someone has died in Hogwarts," Snape pointed out. "There is no reason for the school to be shut down now, especially when there is no proof that those girls were killed by Death Eaters."

One of the officials looked up from their notes with wide eyes. "Are you suggesting that those girls were raped and killed by a student?" he demanded and Moody jolted.

"There is proof to suggest that Cole Warrington-"

"Alastor, blood stains on a rug in the _Slytherin_ common room is not proof of anything and there is absolutely no proof that _any_ of my students had something to do with it."

Moody stepped forward. "Well, that's the problem, isn't it? We've been monitoring the school and Warrington has disappeared," he told them. "And Victor Crabbe has turned up dead with the skin from his chest missing. Albus, this is getting out of control. We know Draco Malfoy has something to do with their disappearances and-"

Severus leaned against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest. "Alastor, have you forgotten the definition of proof?" he asked curiously and the Minister slammed his fist down on Dumbledore's desk.

"Albus, this is serious," he snapped irritably. "Whether or not the deaths of those girls are the result of Voldemort or a student here, I cannot continue avoiding questions about what has been happening here. Fights are breaking out between the school houses, students are disappearing, He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named shows up in Hogsmeade and now I've got four dead students. There are parents demanding to know what the hell is going on around here and I've got outside pressure from Muggle confidants saying that if I don't resolve this Death Eater issue, the Muggle law enforcement will try to stop it themselves. I do not need another child going missing!"

"Minister, Hogwarts is the safest place for the children to be," Dumbledore responded.

"Voldemort was here!" another official protested.

"His intent was not to harm any of the students."

The Minister raised an eyebrow. "Intent? Who the hell are you, his bloody lawyer? There were hundreds of students in that town and he could have killed every single one of them, including your precious Harry Potter."

McGonagall stepped forward. "Minister, sending the children home so early would make them more vulnerable to attack," she whispered. "It is unwise to allow such a thing to happen."

"No, Minerva," the Minister retorted. "It is unwise to allow children bent on killing themselves to stay in such an environment that would promote such an action." His eyes turned to Dumbledore. "I've heard about what has been going on with Draco Malfoy and the advertisement put out for a reward for killing him." He then turned to Snape and pointed at the man. "I'm also aware that you have been covering that little pisshead's arse and that he has something to do with Voldemort's appearance in that damned down. I am not going to allow the lives of hundreds of students to become jeopardized simply because you refuse to make Malfoy take responsibility for his actions."

"Minister, Draco Malfoy is hardly the point of this meeting," McGonagall insisted, eyeing Severus quickly before she continued. "We all understand how much pressure you are under, but you must understand that we are looking out for the best interest of the children and they are safer here."

The office door opened and two Aurors stepped in, looking deeply disturbed. "Sir," they addressed Moody. "We've found Cole Warrington." Their eyes drifted to the others and they shifted. "Or… at least we think we did…"

"What do you mean, you think you did?" Alastor demanded.

The two Aurors exchanged glances and then one stepped forward. "His… his head's… missing…"

The Minister paled upon hearing this and he stood up swiftly afterward, moving to the door. "I want the children evacuated, Albus," he snapped. "Either do it, or I will shut this school down permanently. I've had enough of this bullshit! Too many students have died since Harry Potter arrived at this damned school. I'm not going to let it happen anymore."

"Alastor," Dumbledore called before the Auror walked out with the Minister. Moody motioned for the other Aurors to follow the Minister and his officials out and then turned to face the Headmaster.

"Albus, my hands are tied," he said. "I'm receiving enough shit as it is with those three dead first years. We were here… it shouldn't have happened."

"But it did," Severus sneered and Moody pointed a finger at him.

"Don't make this my fault," he growled. "You knew about the meeting between Malfoy and his parents."

"Alastor, you know very well that transferring all of these students back to their homes is dangerous," Dumbledore interjected before Severus could respond with a scathing observation of Moody's competence. "If the Minister is worried about the students now, imagine what would happen if Voldemort decided to attack during the evacuation?"

"We will have as much security as possible protecting the train, but with all that is happening in London, I cannot promise much," Moody replied.

"It's too dangerous, Alastor," McGonagall implored. "You must tell the Minister to reconsider."

Moody sighed and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Minerva, Albus," he said, turning to leave. "But I'm with the Minister on this one. I'll send you an owl when I get more information, but Albus…" He stopped by the door. "Get those students ready."

* * *

Everyone celebrated when Dumbledore gave them the day off, stating that he needed to conference with all of the professors. Harry and Ron left for the Quidditch pitch almost instantly afterward, while Hermione watched them fly around from the stands. Most students remained in their common rooms, too paranoid to approach the lake after what had happened to the girls and the stressful presence of Aurors. Ginny and Luna roamed the halls, chatting and enjoying the unusual stillness that had fallen over the school.

"Have you and Malfoy really broken up?" Luna asked after an hour and a half of meaningless conversation.

Ginny tripped over her shoes and stared at her friend in shock. "Sorry?"

Luna looked over at her friend curiously. "Have you and Malfoy really broken up?" she repeated and Ginny hesitated.

"Um… Luna, we were never together… it was just… an infatuation," she replied, moving on down the hall. "Why would you bring that up?"

"Just curious."

Ginny rubbed her hands together nervously and then began fiddling with her hair. "Well, it's over, no matter what it was," she muttered.

"Why?"

The way Luna was pressing the issue was unusual and it forced Ginny to stop again and turn to face her friend. "Why are you so interested all of a sudden? You've never shown an interest in it before."

Luna shrugged and walked ahead. "I was just curious," she said over her shoulder. "Neville was asking about it."

"Neville knows?"

"He figured it out after the Hogsmeade event," she replied. "He promised not to tell."

"That's comforting."

Luna did not respond. Instead, she just continued down the corridor. Ginny hurried after her, trying to figure out if she appreciated Neville knowing about her crush. Glancing out the window, she sighed. Of course it had not been a crush or infatuation, but repeating the sentiments she had provided Draco with was unthinkable and suffocating. He had made his feelings clear to her. There was no reason for her to wallow in her own emotions.

"Ginny!"

The two girls turned around to see Dean running down the hall, a determined look on his face. He caught up with them and took a few deep breaths while Ginny crossed her arms over her chest and waited anxiously for him to speak. The memory of their kiss was still fresh in her mind and she was unsure of how to act upon it. Technically Draco had broken off their… whatever, so she should not have felt so guilty about what had happened.

"I tried to find you and I heard a couple of people from the Quidditch team were practicing. I went down to the pitch and your brother told me you were walking around," he explained. Ginny glanced over at Luna, who suddenly seemed preoccupied by some spiders' webs near an old painting of three dragons.

"Um… well, Luna and I have just been strolling about, talking and such," she replied with a nervous smile. "Was it something important?"

Dean's eyes flashed to Luna as well as if to say that the matter did not concern the Ravenclaw and Ginny bit her lip. So he did want to talk about what had happened.

"Well… it was sort of private," he answered. Ginny's heart fluttered suddenly and she looked down at her hands to avoid displaying any hint of being affected by his words. Luna heard the statement and came back over with a surreal smile on her face.

"That's okay, Dean," she said. "I promised Ron that I'd show him my photos of the Horntailed Snorlack during lunch. I'll see you later, Ginny."

"Luna, wait-"

But it was too late and the blonde was already skipping down the hall, leaving Ginny to deal with Dean and the weird look on his face. She offered him a smile and turned to continue walking, slowing only so that he could catch up.

"So, Dean, what is it that you wanted to talk about?" she asked quietly, cursing herself for feigning ignorance. "Nothing bad, I hope."

Dean shook his head, watching her carefully. "I… um… I wanted to talk about what happened in the common room," he told her and she frowned.

"We don't have to," she murmured. "You and I agreed to be friends and it was a terrible thing for me to put you in such a situation. It's okay."

She caught a reddish tinge on the boy's cheeks and he averted his eyes from her, watching his feet as they passed over the stone floor. In days past, she would have blushed as well and their conversation would have ended there. Dean had always been one to sense confrontation and she had always been one to prod the flames, searching for unwilling answers. He would have left the conversation at that and she would have resented him for the sake of staying in the relationship.

Now, she found herself in need of attention and he seemed willing to offer it.

"It's not okay, Ginny," he countered. "That night got me thinking… about us…"

"Dean-"

"I know we broke up, but… you and I… Ginny-"

"Bloody hell, Thomas, you're horrible at this."

The two turned around to see Draco coming down the hall towards them at a rather brisk pace. To Ginny, his eyes were dark and unsettled while his body promoted charisma and superiority. Something was clearly off, though. Perhaps he had heard more than just Dean's latter stuttering. It was not hard to deduce.

"By now, I would have had her clothes off," Draco finished when he stopped in front of them, his eyes meeting Ginny's, indicating that he clearly knew what had happened between herself and Dean. Immediately her cheeks and ears burned and she looked away, confusion flooding her mind and bombarding her with unnecessary questions.

She shouldn't have cared.

"Piss off, Malfoy," Dean growled. "Stay out of our conversation."

"Was that a conversation? Sounded more like Weasley was talking to a disadvantaged child," the blonde responded cruelly. "I've never heard a boy so nervous to talk to a girl in his life. Do you not talk to them often, spending all that time cooped up in the closet with Finnegan?"

"Dean!" Ginny yelled, grabbing his arm and pulling him back before he could hurt himself by trying to attack Draco. "Dean, he's just trying to get you in trouble, ignore him."

Draco's eyes burned the hand that held onto Dean while he forced a smirk onto his face. The sudden image of chopping off the offending hand and forcing the Gryffindor to choke on it flashed through his mind, but he promptly stifled the feeling that accompanied it. It would not bode well for him to kill every person he found mildly irritating. That would leave only the ones he hated and he had no motivation to finish them off.

"I'd listen to Weasley," he advised. "She has a reputation of getting randy men out of trouble."

"Screw you," Dean growled. "Why don't you go shag that bitch, Parkinson?"

If it were possible, Draco's eyes darkened and the smirk on his face became genuine. "I would, but I think after what's happened to Warrington, she's not interested in coming near me at the moment," he replied pleasantly. "Poor thing…" He slid a finger across his throat slowly. "Nearly lost her own head."

Ginny blanched at the statement and Dean took her hand and began pulling her away. An action that drew even more ill-will from the present Slytherin, whose eyes quickly began to slice through the flesh and muscle on Dean's arm and relished in it.

"Come on, Ginny, let's leave this bastard to his own fantasies," Dean suggested, disgusted by what he was hearing. Ginny was a bit more conflicted, with her hatred for Parkinson clouding the repulsion she should have been feeling at Draco's words. She had known immediately when Warrington and Crabbe had been declared missing that they were probably dead and that Draco's patience with may have been running thin. She never would have thought he would admit it so plainly to her and in front of Dean.

Biting her lip, she held Dean's hand tighter, knowing that it was agitating Draco. The knowledge of that emboldened her even more. Served him right.

"Fine," she muttered. "Let's head back to the common room. I think it's pretty quiet at this time, with lunch about to start."

They barely started walking when Draco stepped out in front of them, his grey eyes searching out Ginny's in an attempt to figure out her state of mind. Their eyes connected for a second before she looked away, not wanting him to peer into her soul. She had revealed enough of it as it was to him.

Besides, she did not need him smirking at her pettiness in the situation.

"Step aside, Malfoy," Dean growled, pulling out his wand with his other hand. "Or I'll do it for you."

The smirk on Draco's face faded and Ginny's hands began to sweat. She could tell that the blonde was quickly losing patience with Dean and it was exhilarating and unnerving to think that her relationship with Dean was the cause of it. Perhaps Draco was not as cold as she thought him to be.

_Or maybe, his impatience is directed at both of you and you're projecting it onto Dean to avoid the reality of the situation_, something dark inside of her hissed and her heart began to race.

"Dean, let's go," she mumbled, no longer wishing to be there. The range of emotions Draco Malfoy had infected her with were beginning to make her sick and she did not want to stay around him anymore. If she did, he would probably continue messing around with her and Dean.

Draco, however, did not share her need to flee. "She's needed by the Headmaster," he said coldly and Ginny froze, her grip on Dean's hand tightening involuntarily.

The Headmaster?

Was Draco so starved for her attention that he would make up such an obvious-

"Ginny, are you okay?" Dean asked, having seen her face become pale. He completely misinterpreted her reaction Draco's statement as fear for her family's safety and spoke accordingly. "I'm sure it's nothing."

Ginny blinked quickly and then forced a smile on her face for Dean's sake. Draco, however, could tell that she had easily seen past his declaration and inwardly he smirked at her unwillingness to voice this realization with the boy standing next to her.

"Um… yeah… I'm sure it isn't…" She glanced over at Draco, who was watching the two of them with no expression, making her heart beat faster. "Um… I'll see you later, then?"

Dean shook his head suspiciously. "I'll go with you, if that's okay?" he asked, directing his question to Ginny.

Draco chose to answer anyways. "Dumbledore wants to see her alone," he snapped and Dean's eyes soured with his hate for Draco.

"If it's important, she shouldn't be left alone."

Ginny decided to end this before Draco took matters into his own hands and dispatched Dean simply for being sensitive. "Dean, I'll be fine," she cut in, offering him a reassuring smile. "I'm sure everything's okay."

For a moment it seemed as if he were going to argue the point, but then Dean nodded and for reasons unknown to her, Ginny leaned up and kissed his cheek hastily before moving past Draco in the direction of Dumbledore's office. Draco and Dean exchanged looks before the Slytherin turned abruptly on his heel and followed after Ginny, his long strides quickly catching up with her. The moment they had turned the corner and were out of Dean's sight, Ginny stopped and faced Draco, her eyes searching him.

"What do you want?" she demanded and he raised an eyebrow.

"Excuse me?"

Ginny pointed behind him. "Dean may have been naive enough to fall for your bloody 'Dumbledore wants to see me' story, but I know very well that the Headmaster has no interest talking with me," she snapped. The smirk that appeared on Draco's face irritated her.

"Your opinion of Thomas is not very high," he commented and she crossed her arms over her chest contemptuously.

"My opinion of Dean is hardly your concern," she responded before she smiled. "Though, the way you were _glaring_ at him, I'd say your opinion of him was in the range of jealousy."

Draco tilted his head to the side and he could not help but be impressed by her ability to retaliate effectively against him. "Jealous? What makes you think I'm jealous?" he asked and she began to notice him approaching her. She backed up a little and quickly wished she had not left Dean behind.

"No one's that good at hiding their emotions," she muttered. Realizing that scrutinizing his facial capacities was not the best way to go about things, she looked down at her hands and took a deep breath. "What do you want, Malfoy?"

"Do you treat all men like their pricks, or am I just a special case?" he questioned and she glared at him.

"I treat you like a prick because you are a prick," she retorted angrily. "You get what you want out of people and then dispose of them when you're done without a care in the world. Personally, I think prick is being a bit kind."

Draco's eyes hardened and he walked closer to her. "You have something to say to me, Weasley?"

Ginny shifted her weight to one foot and held her chin up higher. "Besides the fact that you're a complete bastard, no."

"Someone's a bit touchy."

"I don't have time for this," Ginny muttered, pushing past Draco to head back to the Great Hall. He snatched her arm, holding her back until she shoved his hand away. "Stop it, Malfoy," she hissed. "Just because you're pissed at Parkinson and no longer wish to shag her, it doesn't mean you can suddenly try to get in my knickers."

"The first time didn't count?"

Ginny's eyes widened and her entire body became hot at the memory. She averted her eyes from him and moved restlessly in one place, trying desperately to suppress the feelings that had emerged at his reminder.

"I hope Voldemort cuts off your dick before he kills you," she snapped, attempting again to move away from him, but this time he grabbed both arms and shoved her into the wall, eyes narrowed.

"You know, threatening me with imaginary emotions and emasculation is not the best way to start off a relationship," he growled and just as quickly as her anger had appeared, it dissipated, leaving behind more confusion.

"What?" she breathed, relaxing only for the sake of avoiding any unnecessary aggression. Her body was very close to his and with the way he was holding her, there were three ways this interaction could go and only two of them went well for her.

Draco's eyes glinted and Ginny had a feeling that whatever hatred the two may have felt for each other after he had expelled her from the Head common room was gone. "Are you still a virgin, Weasley?" he asked quietly and caught the hand she was about to use to punch him. "You need to stop hitting people. It's not polite."

"This coming from a murderer," she hissed.

"Self-defense isn't murder," he replied with a wink and she tilted her head to the side knowingly.

"I wasn't talking about that Death Eater," she whispered. "I was talking about Warrington."

"What makes you think I killed him?"

Ginny looked over his face and could see the truth in the stormy eyes, knowing full well that he did not want her seeing any of it. Something had changed.

"You would never kill a child," she murmured honestly, placing a hand on his chest. "You're not a monster…" She took a deep breath. "Which makes me wonder why you liked shagging Parkinson so much." Her eyes moved down to his pants for a minute, biting her lip in a very enticing way before looking back at his eyes with a coy smile on her lips. "Bestiality doesn't suit you."

A smirk appeared on Draco's face at her words, secretly loving the way she had said them. He reached out and touched her face, running his fingers over her cheeks as his eyes explored hers, searching expressionlessly for a reason to walk away. A reason to hate her. A reason to justify his growing attraction to her as just an infatuation and nothing more. She did not tremble at his caress, nor did she shy away. There were no tears in her eyes and he knew that she would not stop him this time.

"I didn't kill Warrington," he told her truthfully, tracing her veins lightly with his forefinger. "Zabini did."

It surprised Ginny that he was so honest with her and she could not help but shudder at the thought of what might have actually happened to Warrington. However, she remained standing against the wall, matching his gaze with one that clearly told him how she felt.

"You're not scared," he observed and Ginny shook her head before she leaned in and kissed him, emitting a squeak when his arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her right up to him. She took his face in her hands, pulling away before they became caught up in the moment and took a quick breath.

"If the game is over, what's this?" she asked seriously, halting the hand he had traveling down her back to her rear. "Answer the question or I cut it off."

"What do you want it to be?" he asked, his lips brushing hers in such a tantalizing way that both of them could not help but share another kiss before she responded.

"I don't know," she replied, trying to regain some control of the situation. She was unsure of how they had become so close in such a short amount of time, but she was not about to let him off the hook without clarifying some things. Ginny groaned when he kissed her again, her knees weakening a little as the interaction became more heated and intimate. She parted her lips to his and shuddered a little when their tongues brushed against each other, creating an exciting sensation within both of them. After another moment, she pulled away and hit him in the arm, annoyed at herself for getting distracted. "Stop it!" she snapped irritably, however the smile on her face undermined her urgency. He leaned in and nuzzled her neck, his entire body reacting to the sigh she released at the action.

Slowly, Draco could feel himself changing into a man he had not been raised to be. While sex was still something he craved from her, it was no longer a necessity. He found himself actually caring about what she had to say and after what had happened with Parkinson, he had desperately craved to see Ginny again for reasons that evaded him. And while he would never admit it, even to her, he wanted nothing more than to spend more time with her.

"I thought you loved me," he murmured and she laughed.

"Are you doing this because you hate the last girl you had the slightest bit of feelings for?" she asked curiously. "Because if you are, then this is the wrong way to go about it."

Draco pulled away and looked at her. "Then tell me what is the best way to go about snogging you without being interrupted with your incessant chatter?" he asked amusingly and she hit him in the arm again, harder this time.

"I want an apology," she hissed, the seriousness returning to her voice.

"An apology?"

She nodded, struggling not to start crying in front of him. Remembering the words he had spoken to her was starting to create a nasty taste in her mouth and she wanted desperately to be rid of it before she allowed herself to be taken by him again.

"Yes, an apology," she snapped, surprising him with her biting tone. "For being an incredible arse and threatening me when all you had to do was tell me that you loved me."

Draco grabbed her and pulled her lips right up to his, kissing her deeply and causing her knees to buckle beneath her. Her hands slipped to the back of his head, holding him tightly as their bodies pressed closely together. She gasped at how swiftly he was able to maneuver them around to a classroom door and opened it, sending them stumbling into the room and colliding into a desk and prompting Ginny to start giggling into his mouth.

"Walk often, Malfoy?" she murmured into his lips, her heart racing as he hoisted her up on the same desk and began unbuttoning her blouse. "Or are you just too excited?"

The Slytherin could not help but grin as he pushed her blouse off her shoulders and softly kissed her exposed skin, reveling in the feeling of her. His hands moved gently over her body, caressing her in a way she knew he never had with any other girl. He stopped however, when their previous words finally struck him and he forced himself to answer.

"I suppose I should apologize for telling you that you weren't worth it," he murmured into her neck, still holding on to her. Ginny turned to look him in the eyes.

"Really?"

He nodded, looking over her body with a smirk and then brushing his fingers over her bra. "Yeah, the dark blue knickers is completely worth waiting to see," he answered and her eyes widened while she tried not to laugh.

"My knickers!" she cried, slapping his hand away from her breasts. She leaned in and kissed him quickly. "I was wrong about you being a coward. You're just bold." She kissed him again and this time, he did not let her go.

* * *

Hermione and Ron were sitting across from each other and from what Harry could see, they had worked some things out since he'd walked in on them. The two would exchange glances and then a blush would appear on Hermione's face while Ron smiled and continued to eat. Harry decided against saying something about it. They were under enough stress as it was.

"Do you really think they're going to send us home?" Seamus was asking a few seats down. "That's what I've been hearing."

"They're not going to send us home," Harry snapped. "Dumbledore isn't going to shut down Hogwarts."

"You seem so sure," Parvati commented and Hermione looked around the Hall.

"All of the professors are still missing," she observed. "Harry, Seamus might be right." Harry shot her with a nasty look and she raised her head up a little higher. "Don't look at me like that, Harry. You know that with all that has been going on, the Ministry is going to force him to. We all saw the Minister."

Ron looked around as well, but not for any professor. "Where's Ginny?"

"Gone to talk to Dumbledore," Dean answered, sitting down heavily beside the redhead.

Hermione frowned. "Dumbledore?" she repeated. "Why is Ginny going to see Dumbledore?"

Dean shrugged. "I don't know. That's what Malfoy said, the bloody prick," he grumbled and Ron became extremely still, his eyes fixed on his fellow Gryffindor.

"Why would Malfoy say something like that?" Hermione pressed. "Dumbledore isn't seeing _anyone_. Are you sure that's what he said?"

Dean nodded. "Yeah…" Suddenly he looked concerned while Ron's face quickly filled with anger. "Is something wrong?"

"That son of a bitch," Ron growled, standing up and leaving the Great Hall without another word. Hermione watched him go before turning to Harry for an answer.

"What was that about?" she asked. There was also concern on his face as well and he stood up.

"Malfoy has Ginny," he responded. "What do you think it was about."

Hermoine hurriedly followed him out, trailed by Dean and Neville. Luna stood up and quietly walked out as well.

Everyone else knew something was going on.

* * *

Ginny groaned passionately, leaning her head back against the wall they had fallen against in a hasty attempt to get up to the professor's desk in the front of the room. Most of her clothes were missing while his shirt was the only thing she had managed to remove during their brief time in the classroom. Draco's hands were massaging her thighs mercilessly as his lips moved across her shoulders and down to her chest, caressing the crests of her breasts gently. She ran her fingers through his hair, unconsciously tugging him closer as breathless whimpers escaped her lips. They were both quickly losing all sense of reality and the idea that someone could walk in on them had already left the window. However, Ginny knew that if they continued down this path, she would not be able to stop Draco from entering into a realm only he had traveled.

"Damn it, Weasley," he growled into her skin as she ran one hand down his smooth chest, shivering against him in excitement. His entire body was screaming to have her, but his mind kept reminding him that he had to slow down, lest she run off like the last time. Besides, he was in no hurry to rush that final step. Pansy may have been cut off from him, but there were still certain parts of his body that mourned her.

"Malfoy," she gasped when his teeth grazed her skin. Pulling away, she looked into his eyes and smiled giddily. "We should stop," she murmured, laughing when he leaned in to press his lips to hers. The kiss was loving yet arousing and both of them groaned before she shook her head and pulled away again, gently pushing his hands off of her. "Now," she added pointedly and he smirked.

"Too much?" he asked and her eyes looked over his bare chest coyly.

"Not enough," she replied, much to his pleasure. The look in his eyes indicated that he wanted to kiss her again and she moved away from the wall, looking around for her blouse and skirt. "Have you seen my clothes?"

When he did not answer, she turned to see him holding up her skirt daringly. Ginny's heart pounded madly against her chest and she had a strange feeling that he could hear it. She slowly approached him, holding her hand out for the piece of clothing. He held it out for her, raising some suspicion in her as she reached out to take it. The moment her fingers grazed the skirt, he snatched her wrist and pulled her up to his chest, causing her to scream in surprise before laughing as he leaned in and kissed her under her ear, holding her close.

"You're not as cold as everyone thinks you are," she commented, closing her eyes as his arms moved around her waist and he just held her. "You're actually quiet soft."

"Only because I'm daft enough to believe that you're worth it," he murmured into her ear and she bit her lip to keep from squealing out in happiness. She settled for kissing his chest quickly and turning slightly to look into his eyes.

"May I have my skirt, please," she whispered and he smirked, taking a small step back before he reached out and wrapped her skirt around her waist, keeping his eyes on hers as he slowly zipped her up. As he did so, his fingers grazed over her knickers and she shuddered a little but refrained from jumping back on him. "Enjoying this?"

Draco nodded, leaning in and brushing his lips against hers. "Loving it, actually," he responded. Ginny could tell where his mind was heading and she had no intention of letting reality follow suit. She caught sight of his shirt and grabbed it, holding it up for him.

"We should go," she said firmly, knowing that if she faltered for a moment, he would take advantage of it. Draco could see the determination in her eyes and rather than break it apart, he took his shirt and put it on, smirking when she buttoned it up for him, running her fingers lightly over some exposed chest before handing him his tie and turning around to look for her own shirt. He watched her move around quietly, unable to help the smile that came to his face when she finally found her shirt and hastily shoved it on, gathering up the rest of her things as she muttered to herself.

"This is ridiculous," she mumbled, walking to the door. "I feel like we're doing something horribly wrong."

"Wrong? How is this wrong?" he asked incredulously, grabbing his discarded robes and coming over to where she stood.

"I'm pretty sure snogging you is not the best way to spend my time," she responded, opening the door.

"You weren't complaining a few moments ago," he pointed out and she glanced back at him with a smile on her face.

"It's hard to think clearly when your hand is trying to get into my knickers," she replied and he winked.

"I'll keep that in mind next time I want to shut you up," he retorted, grabbing her wrist, pulling her back and hefting her up into his arms, kissing her quickly on the lips. Ginny laughed and kissed him back, wrapping her legs around his waist so as not to fall down.

"Malfoy, you daft pig, put me down before someone sees," she murmured into his lips. She was surprised when he did set her down, but smiled when he trapped her up against the wall. His lips moved over her face gently, caressing her skin and causing her heart to race as she let her eyes close.

"Seriously?"

Ginny gasped at the sound of her brother and the couple turned to see him standing at the end of the hall, watching them with a mix of disgust and annoyance. However before Ron could give them any warning, Hermione and Harry rounded the corner, stopping dead in their tracks at what they saw.

"Oh my God," Hermione gasped, slapping a hand to her mouth while a myriad of emotions flashed across Harry's pale face. Before the others could come around, Draco whipped out his wand and with a loud crack the area filled with dark smoke, filling Ginny's nose and lungs, causing her to cough as she felt him move away from her. She grabbed his hand before he completely disappeared from her view and kissed him hastily on the cheek, murmuring an 'I love you' as he left. She could have sworn she saw him smile, but the smoke soon blocked her vision and all she could see was her hands as she leaned against the wall and coughed.

"Ginny!" someone called out. "Ginny!"

"I'm right here," she replied, feeling her way to the end of the hall where the smoke had not reached. She coughed some more and rubbed her watery eyes as her brother took her arm and pulled her over to him while Neville and Dean crowded around her to see if she was okay. In the corner of her eye, she could see Harry and Hermione still staring at her with shock in their eyes and she dreaded having to explain what they had just seen.

* * *

"You're not going to come out with me, are you?" Ginny asked nervously later that night as she sat in a chair in Draco's room. He looked over at her from his spot on the bed and shook his head.

"No," he answered and she sighed, standing up.

"Coward," she snapped and he reached out to snatch her wrist, tugging her towards the bed.

"My not wanting to speak to Potter about my love life has nothing to do with me being a coward," he muttered sleepily. Ginny leaned over him and poked his chest.

"More like a lack of a love life," she responded and he snorted.

"That could change."

"Not bloody likely."

"You say that now."

"I'm leaving."

"Good for you. Standing up to the big, bad Slytherin."

She leaned down and kissed him, smiling when he reached up and took her face in his hand, holding her as the kiss deepened. Ginny took a shallow breath and pulled away, brushing her lips against his cheek. His eyes were closed and his breathing was becoming slow and deep, indicating that he was much more relaxed with the situation than she was.

"You're not as big and bad as you think," she murmured into his ear.

"Really?" he asked drowsily. "How?"

The smile on her face broadened and she straightened up, moving towards the door. "Big, bad Slytherins do not fall in love with sweet, little Gryffindors," she said over her shoulder and he snorted.

"Then I suppose I'm in good company," he muttered. "Because you're not as sweet as you think you are."

Ginny grinned and opened the door, leaving him behind as she stepped onto the stairs and found Ron sitting on the couch with Harry and Hermione. The two turned around immediately and Ginny saw Harry's eyes darken at her smile, which disappeared instantly after. She chewed on her lip for a moment and then walked down the stairs, sitting in a chair to face them. She had spoken to Ron earlier about what had happened between herself and Draco and after much talk, she had convinced him that Draco's feelings for her were just as strong as her feelings for him and that her brother had nothing to worry about in such a situation. Ron offered her a comforting smile and she suddenly felt better about the entire situation.

"Um… well… I suppose I owe you an explanation-"

"Did this start over the summer?" Hermione demanded. "Or did it just start?"

Ginny hesitated, too unsure of how much information about her relationship with the Slytherin would be wise to give them. "Hermione, it's hard to explain-"

"You were snogging Malfoy," Hermione retorted angrily. Her eyes were blazing furiously and Ginny knew that if she allowed Hermione to continue to speak, Harry would join in.

"I know, but-"

Hermione's eyes suddenly widened in realization and she stood up, pointing to the door. "It _has_ been going on for a while, hasn't it," she hissed. "That time we bumped into him. He held on to you and you two were staring at each other like… like…" Hermione saw Ron's eyes close and she turned pale, sitting back down on the couch beside Harry. "Oh my God… Ginny, what's going on?"

Ginny exchanged a look with her brother before she took a deep breath. "Um… Draco and I-"

"_Draco_," Harry spat and Ginny closed her eyes at the sound. "He's a God damned Death Eater, Ginny. Have you lost your fucking mind?"

The disgust and disbelief in his voice cut through her and made her feel very low at that moment. Out of the two, Harry's opinion of her decision was the one she had feared the most for the mere fact that he had been her previous relationship. How could it possibly reflect well that Ginny would run to the arms of Draco Malfoy after being with Harry Potter?

Seeing the tears coming to his sister's eyes, Ron got up and sat beside her, giving Harry a dark look. "Leave her alone, Harry," he growled. "It's hard enough as it is."

"Hard enough as it is? He's a-"

Ginny stood up and pointed at him. "You say Death Eater one more time and I'll curse you myself," she snapped hatefully.

"But he's-"

Hermione stood up as well and stood between Harry and Ginny. "I think what Harry's trying to say is that Malfoy's dangerous, Ginny," she interrupted, biting her lip at the glare Ginny was giving the young man. "We're both concerned about your well being and his intentions towards you. We all know him to be rather promiscuous and he could end up… hurting you…" When Ginny bit her lip, Hermione's eyes widened and she glanced behind her to Draco's room. "If he hasn't already..."

Harry caught the look and his eyes became dark and emotionless. "That time you were crying…" Ginny's eyes filled with tears again and Harry shook his head, moving towards the stairs. "That son of a bitch-" Surprisingly, it was Ron who stopped him, grabbing his arm and yanking him back. Harry shoved him off, shocked at the redhead's actions and angered as well. "What the bloody hell are you stopping me for? He hurt Ginny."

"You don't have all the details," Ron retorted, moving in front of Harry to block his path. "You wouldn't understand what really happened."

Hermione was stunned. "How could you let this happen, Ron?" she demanded. "How could you allow Ginny to do such a despicable-"

Ginny stepped forward. "I'm still here," she snapped. "And whatever happened between Draco and me at that time is between us and in the past."

Harry's eyes narrowed. "Ginny-"

"I love him," she hissed, effectively ending all conversation from that point on. The look on Harry's face hurt the most but she was not about to let that stop her. She moved over to the stairs leading up to Draco's dormitory and she took a deep breath. "That should be enough for you two."

They watched her disappear into his room and then turned to Ron, staggered that he had not done anything about it.

"You're just letting her go up there?" Hermione asked and Ron shrugged.

"She's spent the night with him before," he muttered, walking over to the couch and sitting down on it. He rubbed his face, struggling to ignore the protective instincts to drag his sister back out of there. Despite his overwhelming distaste for Draco Malfoy, he could not deny the feelings the young man had for his sister. Ron had seen the way they had looked at each other on several occasions and while Malfoy had messed up before the Hogsmeade trip and hurt Ginny, he could see that they both loved each other more than the blonde would probably ever admit.

Besides, after hearing about what had happened to Cole Warrington, Ron had no intentions of getting on Malfoy's bad side any time soon.

"Ron, Malfoy could-"

"Hermione," Ron growled tiredly. He stood up and took a deep breath before walking towards the exit. "Please stop talking…"

* * *

When Ginny entered the room, she paused upon seeing Draco still lying on the bed, sleeping in the same clothes he had been in all day. Biting her lip, she moved over to the bed and crawled onto it, kneeling beside him and watching him while her mind wandered.

Harry would probably stay angry at her for a while and rightfully so. She had sat there with him and indulged his rants about Malfoy, meanwhile going behind his back and snogging the very young man who sneered and belittled him every day. She had betrayed Harry's trust in her and she knew she would not get it back for a long time, if ever.

Hermione, on the other hand, would analyze everything and after a talk with Ron probably forgive Ginny for her lies. With her relationship with Ron in such a fragile area and Harry preparing for his confrontation with Voldemort, Hermione could not afford to stay upset with Ginny for very long.

Ginny could not help but tear up at the thought of Ron. He had protected her and stood up for her and Draco despite everything that had happened. She knew he wanted nothing better than to hurt Draco and it filled her with unbelievable warmth to know that he loved her enough to control himself. She only wished Hermione knew how wonderful the tall redhead really was.

"Did Potter try to kill you?"

Blinking quickly, Ginny looked down to see Draco opening his eyes and yawning. His hand moved instinctively to her leg, rubbing it slowly as he allowed his eyes to adjust to the darkness of the room. He soon saw that her eyes were glistening and tilted his head to the side.

"Are you crying?" he asked sleepily and she shook her head.

"No," she murmured. "I'm fine."

Snorting, he sat up and took a better look at her face. "Did Granger try to kill you?"

Smiling, Ginny leaned in and kissed him swiftly before she moved to get up. His hand shot out and snagged her arm, pulling her back to him. The seriousness in his eyes stunned her and she bit her lip when they began to examine every little spot on her face. It unnerved her to think that he knew every thought that crossed her mind but before she could pull away, he leaned in and captured her lips in a slow, deliberate kiss that caused her heart to pound wildly against her chest.

For a while it was tempered and sweet, but just as quickly as it had happened, it became heated and sensual. His arms moved around her waist and pulled her right up against him, forcing her to straddle his lap while their bodies began to press up against each other. His fingers hastily began to remove her shirt while his lips moved briefly from hers, caressing her skin as their bodies began to heat up.

Ginny was quickly beginning to forget everything that had just happened. Her fears of confronting Harry and Hermione began to fade as the mind numbing sensations of Draco's touch began to seep through the barrier she had put up. Their clothes were hastily being discarded all around them and as more burning skin began to caress and push against each other, all of her senses started screaming for more. There was something that was beginning to consume both of them and as their kisses became more passionate, it became apparent that they had finally crossed a line.

Draco had managed to maneuver them around so that she was now between himself and the soft sheets, his entire being aroused by the mere sight of her lying there in nothing but her knickers and bra. Her chest was rising and falling heavily while whimpers escaped her pink, swollen lips, silently pleading for him to continue. By now he would have ripped the rest of her clothes off and had his way with her, but now he wanted to take his time and explore her. He memorized every freckle, every mole, every flaw. Everything that made her ordinary yet in this very moment erected such an overwhelming desire in him that it took every ounce of strength that he had left not to ravish her.

The lick of Ginny's lips drew him back to her face where she had been watching him mutely as he examined her. Their eyes met momentarily and every nerve in her body surged with electricity, forcing her to lean up and kiss him with such a searing passion that he groaned into her lips before pulling her closer, driving his tongue into her mouth and promoting a soft sigh. Unable to help himself, he reached up with determined hands and unclasped her bra.

The action alone caused Ginny to break away from him and for one terrifying moment, he believed she was going to stop everything. The look etched on her face was one of uncertainty as she clutched her bra to her chest, gasping for breath and looking like the most beautiful mess of a woman he had ever laid eyes upon. Ginny could see the want in his eyes and the hand that still rested on her side indicated his intentions lest she stop him. Her body screamed for him to continue, but she was uncertain of herself. Draco had slept with many girls and many of them had been more beautiful and prepared than she had.

It would kill her if she saw one hint of disappointment in his unsettled grey eyes.

Her hesitation had been too long for him to handle and he reached out to her bra, slowly easing it out of her clenched fingers. His accomplishment was short-lived however when she covered herself with her hands instead, her lip trembling as she lay beneath him. A flash of irritation crossed his eyes before he leaned in and whispered, "They're just breasts, Weasley. They're nothing to be ashamed of especially since they're attached to something so beautiful."

A stunned gasp escaped Ginny's lips and she turned her head to look at him, tears filling her eyes as he leaned in and kissed her. She drove her fingers through his hair, pulling him closer and inadvertently pressing her bare chest up against his, arousing him even more. He pulled away when he felt her shudder and his eyes instantly went to her chest, his lips parting hungrily at the sight of her. He shifted his body around so that he could see her better, involuntarily pressing his hard length intimately against her and forcing an ungraceful moan from Ginny's lips. Her head leaned back against the pillow and her back arched, giving Draco even more access to her burning body.

"Oh God," she cried when his lips grazed her breasts as scorching hot liquid cascaded down her back and through her entire being. Ginny gasped and grabbed the sides of the bed, babbling incoherently. Unable to resist, he leaned down and captured her taut nipple between his teeth before swirling his tongue soothingly around it. Ginny grunted loudly and her hands shot into his hair, grasping clumps of blonde hair and tugging on him. "Draco," she gasped, helpless and incapable to understand the suffocating emotions that were crashing down upon her in what felt like hours of sweet, tortured bliss. His actions were driving her out of her mind and she could barely breathe. She needed him so badly that at this point she didn't care what she sounded like.

"Shit, Weasley," Draco growled, moving away from her breasts and back to her pleading lips while his fingers began to toy around with her knickers. The way she was trembling beneath him was beginning to cloud his judgment and he knew he had to act quickly before he lost all sense and hurt her badly. His thumb was hooked into her knickers but for some reason he could not move.

_It'd be a shame to ruin all of that with shagging._

Would it really?

Those words had been said when he had considered their relationship a mere game. Something to be taken in jest and at superficial value.

Now, things had changed. This was no longer just a game and she was not a mere object to be discarded after a quick go. He needed to take this slow if there was any possibility of survival.

Their eyes met for a moment and suddenly they both knew that there was nowhere else left to go. Biting her lower lip, Ginny lifted her hips off the bed slightly, allowing him to slowly pull the cloth past her knees and off of her legs, dropping the knickers behind him, forgotten. From the end of the bed, he stared at her, taking in a sight he had seen a thousand times, yet somehow he felt suddenly at a loss of what to do, just as it had been on his first night with Parkinson. The sight of her now totally naked and stretched out on his bed was amazing yet daunting at the same time. She was watching him with nothing but fear in her eyes and he was the one who should be afraid.

Ginny Weasley was a virgin. He could not break her.

After an eternity of tormenting silence, Ginny's heart clenched at the smirk that crossed Draco's lips. Her eyes filled with tears in preparation of the demeaning words that would spew out of his mouth, shrinking away from him when she felt him lean into her ear.

"I don't understand what you're so worried about," he murmured huskily. To Ginny's displeasure and excitement, his lips returned to her breasts, caressing them while his hands moved down her back to her rear, clutching it firmly against him. Far too gone to realize what she was doing, she grabbed his boxers and yanked them down as far as she could, gasping as he shifted around on top of her to rid himself of the final obstacle. He then repositioned himself right above her, his length pressed so close against her that she leaned her head back and cried out, struggling to breathe as he took one final moment to think through what was about to happen.

He probably should have told her that he loved her. That he wanted her so badly that it hurt. That every fiber of his being yearned for her and that despite the freckles and other imperfections, she was quite possibly the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. He probably should have said something, but the moment her legs wrapped around his waist, clenching him tightly in an instinctive cue to begin, all hope was lost and without another thought, he leaned up, captured her lips and began to press into her. Instantly Ginny's hands shot to his shoulders, her nails digging painfully into his skin as her heart slammed against her chest and a breathless groan shot through her throat, covered by the intensity of their desperate kisses.

Draco could feel her body tense up and heard the soft grunts of pain, forcing him to slow his entrance so as to do the least amount of damage as possible. He dropped his head to her neck, focusing all of his attention on moving further into her while his entire body screamed at him to move faster. His chest clenched painfully as she began murmuring into his ear, pleading for him to slow his movements as tears fell down her face.

Everything about the moment was excruciating and wonderful at the same time and finally when he was fully in her, Draco had to stop and breathe. After another moment or two, he felt her body relax slightly and she detached her nails from his back, still gasping for air as she struggled to comprehend what was happening to them. They lay there for a while, clutching each other, entwined and speechless. Draco's mind was bombarding him with commands to move through her, the warmth of her surrounding him too much for his body to handle. He could still hear her breath choke up in her throat when he shifted around, her eyes squeezed tight while she hung onto him.

"Are you okay?" he could not help but ask and she shivered.

"I think so," she managed, swallowing hard and planting a determined kiss on his shoulder. "Please…"

Those words erased any other thought in his mind and without thinking, he pulled himself out and then pushed back into her, cajoling a very different cry out of her. Their lips met in a hungry fight to devour each other while his movement began to increase in intensity. They began to move together, awkwardly at first as they both struggled to find a tempo while Draco did all he could not to completely devastate her.

Soon their lovemaking became aggressive and unrelenting, sending Ginny over the edge of whatever cliff she had been clinging to. His thrusts became faster still and his lips latched onto her shoulder while they both began to reach a mind numbing climax. Ginny began rambling rousing words into his ear as the pressure within her reached a breaking point and her legs began to weaken. Screaming his name, her back arched and she shuddered, clawing at his back as he drove into her passionately a few more times.

After another moment, they collapsed onto the bed, exhausted and completely in love with each other.

"Bloody hell," Draco growled into her skin as her body still shuddered beneath his. She murmured his name and told him she loved him and he kissed her face, loving her in the only way he could.

"Draco," she murmured breathlessly, running a hand through his damp hair and inviting him to pull away a little. Their eyes locked and she released a soft sob, leaning up and kissing him as passionately as possible. Their lips moved desperately against each other while Draco's hands traveled delicately over her trembling body. He wiped the tears falling down her cheeks as he held her close, kissing her until she whimpered under him, her own body beginning to crumple from the stress of everything that had happened and was happening.

Knowing that his weight would eventually crush her, he reluctantly moved off of her and onto his back, panting heavily as the haze began to clear from his mind. Regaining some semblance of his sanity, he looked over to see Ginny's eyes closed and tears streaming down her face. The sight alone destroyed every part of his being and he reached out, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her up to him, kissing her softly. She clung to his glistening body, afraid that if she opened her eyes, she would wake up and he would be gone.

One of his hands found its way into her hair while the other moved slowly down her back to her rear, tentatively pulling her up so that she was completely on top of him. He could feel her heart pounding against her chest and it filled him with another wave of warmth. He waited until her breathing had slowed before looking down to see her staring at her hand that was resting on the sheets next to him. Reaching up, he took her hand, allowing their fingers to lace together and his chest constricted when he saw for the first time in a while, a small smile on her face. She fell asleep with that smile and he reluctantly followed suit, unable to deny the colossal swell of pure happiness that surged through him as he held her.

**A/N: We'll see how the next chapters go.**

**Chapter Tease:**

_"He's not the monster you think he is, Harry," she told him and he snorted. _

_"I think he's exactly the monster I think he is."_


	18. Where Evil Waits

_Love is the condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own._ **-Robert Heinlein**

_

* * *

Their lips met in a hungry fight to devour each other while his movement began to increase in intensity. They began to move together, awkwardly at first as they both struggled to find a tempo while Draco did all he could not to completely devastate her. Soon their lovemaking became aggressive and unrelenting, sending Ginny over the edge of whatever cliff she had been clinging to. His movements became faster still and his lips latched onto her shoulder while they both began to reach a mind-numbing climax. Ginny began rambling rousing words into his ear as the pressure within her reached a breaking point and her legs began to weaken. Screaming his name, her back arched and she shuddered, clawing at his back as he drove into her passionately a few more times. _

Ginny woke with a start, gasping at the magnitude of her dream. Or rather her memories. Looking around, for a moment all she saw was black and she panicked.

Where was she? She did not have black sheets. She did not have...

Slowly she pulled the sheets from over her head and looked around. The room was eerily dark and still, indicating that it must have been very early. The sight of Draco Malfoy's bare back facing her brought back every single memory and sensation from last night and a sudden warmness flooded her. Closing her eyes, she suddenly felt sore and incredibly stiff, her calves aching terribly as she tried to stretch her legs. They had made love only once, yet it felt as if she had run a marathon without the slightest bit of preparation. Taking a deep, steadying breath, she opened her eyes again and stared at Draco's back, gasping a little at the red marks that covered his skin. Blood stained his back and a quick feeling of guilt flooded her as she remembered how they had gotten there. He had given no indication of having been in pain and it scared her to think that she had hurt him in such a way.

She reached out to touch him, but when she caught sight of her pallid, freckled arm, she stopped herself and bit her lip. Suddenly their night together became a mortifying analysis of every expression Draco had made in regards to her appearance. Ginny had seen many of the girls he had taken to his room and all of them had been twice the women she could ever be. She tried to remember the revulsion in his eyes when he had removed her bra and knickers and suddenly the weight of her inferiority began to crush her. Her entire body seemed to shrink up and tears filled her eyes at the thought of him waking up and turning around. A cold fear reached out through her chest and gripped her spine, knowing that any look of disappointment or regret in his eyes would devastate her.

The vulnerability she had felt last night was nothing compared to what she was feeling now, curled up in a ball beside him, staring at his back as she tried to figure out what to do.

How could she have ever allowed this to happen? How could she have allowed herself to break down every wall she had built up around herself and give him everything?

Yes, they had made love, but not once had he actually professed the feelings she had gasped into his ear countless times last night. This realization only brought an agonizing wave of fear and as quietly as possible, she slipped out of the bed, swallowing down a gasp of pain as her legs protested at the movement. Closing her eyes, she took several deep breaths as she rubbed her bruised thighs, trying to get more life into them.

_What are you doing, Ginny?_ she demanded of herself. _Are you really just going to walk out of this room and pretend like last night didn't happen?_ She grabbed her head and stifled a pitiful groan. _How are you going to explain this to Ron? Oh, by the way, this is a funny story, but now, like every other girl in Hogwarts, Draco Malfoy has my virginity?_

A shift on the bed brought her out of her reverie and she looked around for her clothes. She found her knickers and bra and hastily pulled them on. After crawling around and gathering up her uniform, she glanced behind her and then headed for the bathroom.

"This is a first."

The words stopped her in her tracks and her entire body froze as more memories of last night's encounter flashed before her eyes. She felt exposed all of a sudden and when he did not continue, she began inching towards the bathroom again, desperate to get out of his sight.

"Normally I'm the one sneaking away," he whispered from his spot on the bed. It had been an interesting experience for Draco to wake up and find that the spot next to him was unoccupied. At first he thought perhaps he had lost his mind and last night had been nothing but a dream. Wonderfully detailed, sensual and arousing, but a dream nonetheless. However, when he saw her stand up and try to sneak off into the bathroom, two waves hit him. The first wave was of confusion as to what she was doing there to begin with. The second was of irritation as to why she was not beside him and where she thought she was going. Her hair was a mess, falling limply around her smooth, milky shoulders and stopping just above the small of her back, where his hands had been fortunate enough to caress the skin of her supple buttocks.

Sitting up in bed, his eyes narrowed when she refused to turn around and face him. This was something that had never really happened before. Typically, a night of such passion would end in his leaving and the girl waking up alone. He was not accustomed to being abandoned, especially after making love.

_Making love?_ a small voice sneered from the depths of his mind. _Really, Draco?_

Once again, Ginny made a hasty retreat towards the bathroom and Draco released a sigh of frustration. Whatever was running through her head was beginning to get on his nerves and he was going to get to the bottom of it before she ran off to her oaf of a brother and began making accusations about last night. The last thing he needed was Ginerva Weasley crying rape with the overwhelming presence of Aurors itching to arrest him for the slightest thing.

Shoving the sheets off, he stood up and took five long strides to where she was about to enter the bathroom, grabbing her arm before she could get away. He felt her tense up immediately and in an attempt to calm the situation, he eased his grip on her, carefully turning her around so that he could see her face. Her cheeks became inflamed by his nakedness and she averted her eyes to a spot on the wall, determined not to look at him. He could see her chewing on her lip and saw the tearstained cheeks, arousing his suspicions and worry.

"Where exactly do you think you're going?" he asked and she pulled her arm out of his hand, clutching her clothes to her chest to cover herself and still refusing to answer him. When he reached out to touch her, she shied away, squeezing her eyes shut as if to block out what was happening. This action, above all else, brought pure fear into him and suddenly he found himself overanalyzing every move he had made last night from the time they had both become intimately laced up in one another to the moment they had fallen asleep, searching for any movement that might have been misconstrued as something other than making love.

_Making love. Making love. Making love,_ mocked the little voice wickedly. _You're just as hopeless as Weasley is with that bloody Mudblood._

Draco shook his head a little to rid himself of the offensive nagging while Ginny made a move to disappear into the bathroom. Once again he grabbed her arm and she gasped, fear displayed prominently in her eyes. This did nothing to quell his own struggle to come to grips with what had happened last night.

"Are you hurt-?"

"I'm sorry," she mumbled at the same time and he frowned. Was he missing something important? What had happened between last night and this morning that compelled her to apologize? Judging by the way she was standing, he was the one who should have been apologizing.

"For what?" he asked quietly, watching her carefully. She looked poised for flight and at this point, he was not ready for her to leave.

_Oh how noble of you,_ the voice murmured silkily. _I'm sure God will give you a free pass since you've decided to be sincere._

Ginny shifted in discomfort and shoved some hair out of her face. "I… your back…" She motioned to him. "I didn't mean to..." Draco reached behind him and ran his fingers over his back, smiling at the stinging sensations that came from his wounds. However, the smile disappeared when he saw Ginny's eyes fill with tears.

"Weasley, what the hell-"

"Last night was a mistake," she blurted out and a sharp pain struck Draco in the chest. Not waiting for a reply, she went on. "I know I was a mess last night and must have been a horrid disappointment and you're so used to-"

"Wait, you're leaving because you think I thought you were shit last night?" he cut in, causing her to blanch and choke on her breath. She shivered a little and then backed up to the bathroom.

"I'll just leave-"

Ginny had not had time to respond when he grabbed her and hefted her up into his arms, pressing her against the wall while his lips fell upon hers in a dizzying kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck tightly to keep from falling, groaning piteously into his mouth as his naked body burned against hers. The tears fell freely down her face as she clung to him, fighting the urge to shove him away and run.

"God, you're beautiful," he growled into her skin and the small voice hissed violently, uttering muffled profanities and sneering blindly at his soul. Ginny gasped when his hand moved over her sore thigh, pulling her hips closer to his. She ran her hands through his hair, tugging his face up so that their eyes connected. Ginny's eyes fluttered shut when he reached up and ran his fingers gingerly along her stained cheeks, memorizing every single freckle he saw before leaning in and brushing his lips across her eyes. "Don't leave," he murmured.

_You're dead to me,_ the stifled voice growled through the fog. _I can't help you like this…_

Ginny pulled away from him a little and looked into his eyes. "Are you asking me, or are you telling me?" she asked feebly, closing her eyes again when their lips met in a quick, heated kiss. Ginny ran her hand over his chest before she gently pushed him away, taking a deep breath. His eyes darkened at the action and she tilted her head to the side. "Because if you're asking me... I'd like to go back to the bed and start over again..."

Draco's eyebrows rose at the statement and he glanced over to the bed with a smirk. "Start over from last night?" he asked and for a moment, a look of hesitation crossed through her eyes as she contemplated how ready she was to return to such an intimate situation. Her body was still sore from last night, yet the pleasure of it was all that remained in her memory and she could not help but want him to rekindle it.

Offering Draco a timid smile, she moved silently back to the bed and crawled under the sheets, covering her head as she waited for him to join her. She did not have to wait long before his body appeared under the covers, causing her entire body to heat up and a blush to bring color to her skin.

For the longest time they just laid there, both content with each other's way of handling the strange situation they had found themselves in. Ginny remained submerged by the covers while Draco lay on his back, staring at the bulge in the sheets and smiling at her childish behavior. Most girls, if not all of them, had clung to him throughout the entire night, wanting nothing more than to be the girl Draco wanted to stay with. None of them had. Either he had expelled them quickly after the break of dawn or he had left them to their own devices. For the first time in his life, he had woken up, dazed and admittedly a little panicked, at the absence of a girl. Last night had been a trying experience for him and while he would have very much liked to return to it, the overwhelming vulnerability he had felt when tangled up in Ginny was something that had come flooding back to him when he found her gone upon waking. And he did not like it one bit.

Growing tired of staring at the lump on his bed, he raised up the sheets and looked down at her with a smirk. "Enjoying the view?" he asked mischievously and she lifted her chin, trying to hide the embarrassment on her face.

"Actually, I was wondering what all the fuss was about," she answered, pulling herself up onto the pillow beside him and resting her head on her arm. She bit her lip and swallowed nervously, trying her best to approach the situation appropriately. "It's not that impressive."

Draco's eyes filled with a devilish delight at her jest and he quickly shifted around so that he was lying on his side, propping his head up on his elbow. "I wasn't aware that you've seen others," he countered and she grinned, though the blush on her face indicated that she was still getting comfortable with this newfound openness.

"I don't have to see anything," she replied impishly, her breath catching in her throat when he moved slightly on top of her. "I think anyone in their right mind would rightfully believe that Harry's more..." Her eyes drifted down a little before she chewed on her lip in an alluring way and tilted her head to the side. "Well endowed."

The smirk on Draco's face widened at the insult and he leaned in, brushing his lips across her jaw line and making his way up to her ear as he pressed himself purposefully against her. Ginny allowed her head to fall back against the pillow as a wanting moan escaped her lips at the invasion. It took everything in Draco's power to pull away from her, knowing full well she was not ready for that again. She whimpered at the loss of him and a deep chuckle rumbled through his chest as he kissed her neck and shoulders reverently.

"All in good time," he murmured into her skin, enjoying the way her chest rose and fell beneath him. "All in good time."

They remained that way for another two hours, alternating between heated snogs and lulling breaks. While both of them desperately wanted to make love, Draco knew that doing so would hurt Ginny more and he wanted to do as little damage as possible. They resolved themselves to exploring each other's bodies, enjoying the explosion of emotions surging through them as they drowned in each other.

Ginny's heart was ready to burst with the amount of vulnerability Draco was showing with her, murmuring sweet nothings into her skin as he kissed her in places she never even realized existed. While he never outright admitted to loving her, there was no doubt in her mind that he truly cared for her.

"Were you really planning on leaving earlier?" Draco asked curiously one time as they broke away from a kiss. Ginny was panting beneath him and he waited for her to catch her breath before he leaned in and began teasing her ear. Groaning, Ginny shoved his head away and let her head fall down on the pillow, closing her eyes as she ran a hand up and down his arm.

"I was afraid of what you might say," she answered honestly and he tilted his head to the side.

"Say about what?"

"Everything," she answered.

"Seriously?" he asked, genuinely surprised that she had been so insecure about what had happened. Of course he had been privy to her insecurities last night while it had been going on, but he assumed that she would have been able to move past it after seeing that he was still there. Perhaps he overestimated the powers of deduction of a recent virgin.

She shifted a little beneath him and shrugged. "I suppose," she muttered. "It's not very often you wake up and you find Draco Malfoy sleeping beside you. It was quite unnerving."

Draco snorted and rolled off of her, running his hands through his hair as he stared up at the ceiling. "Yes, well," he mumbled and she suddenly noticed the irritation in his eyes.

Smiling, she propped herself up on her elbow to see his face better. "Were you upset?"

"Upset about what?"

She moved his hands out of his face and gave him a look. "When you saw that I wasn't there," she whispered knowingly. "Were you upset?"

Draco tilted his head to the side and returned the smirk on her face. "I was annoyed," he responded carefully and her smirk turned into a broad grin, which annoyed him more. She was beginning to see through him way too easily and that would become a problem sooner or later.

"That's never happened before, has it?" she asked playfully.

"I told you it was a first."

Biting her lip, Ginny moved around so that she was now straddling him, resting her hands on his chest to prop herself up. She trembled a little at the intimate position, but tried to move past the obvious situation she had placed herself in and focus on the conversation. That focus was momentarily disrupted by the look on Draco's face as he eyed her chest.

"Then I suppose I should apologize," she murmured, catching his attention. "I didn't mean to worry you."

Draco sat up quickly, smirking when her eyes closed momentarily at the welcome friction as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her right up against him. Certain parts of his body burned for her but he controlled it, contenting himself with just kissing her neck and shoulders as she shuddered against him, humming a thankful sigh into his ear. They sat there for a while, unwilling to speak and break the calm that had fallen over them. Draco's fingers moved gently up and down her back, slowly caressing her skin as they rested their heads on each other's shoulders. Their breathing had slowed to match and Ginny's eyes began to droop as she planted small kisses on his shoulder. He then pulled away slightly so that he could look at her face.

"I never said you worried me," he said and she opened her eyes, her heart clenching at the amount of emotions she could see filling his stormy orbs.

"You didn't have to."

Draco's eyes clouded over for a moment and he leaned into her, resting his head back on her shoulder. "And I don't ever want to," he murmured into her skin and she bit her lip to hold back the tears. She kissed his brow and ran her fingers lightly through his hair, loving him even more than ever.

"I suppose since we're being honest with each other, I should apologize about Thomas," she whispered into his ear and he pulled away to look her in the eyes. Ginny laughed when she saw the insulted look on his face and she kissed him lovingly. "I said I wanted to apologize."

"Thomas?" he mumbled irritably, remembering the conversation he had walked in on earlier the other day. "Why Thomas?

"It was a moment of weakness," she admitted with some amusement and he snorted.

"I'm sure Thomas took advantage of your distraught state of mind," he commented and she laughed again.

"Distraught state of mind?" she repeated. "What makes you think I was distraught?"

"You did just get rejected by me," he responded and she snorted.

"I punched you, remember."

He rubbed his jaw reminiscently and then tapped her nose with his finger. "That wasn't very nice of you."

Snorting, she leaned in and nipped his ear, grinning when he released a guttural sound as he pulled her closer to him. "What you said to me wasn't very nice," she responded somewhat bitterly.

Draco would have responded if the door to his bedroom had not burst open. Ron appeared soon after and suddenly the intimate moment became a frightful embarrassment.

"Weasley!" Draco blurted out and Ginny whipped around, eyes widening in horror.

"Ron!" Ginny shrieked, scrambling under the covers as her face became beet red whereas her brother's face turned a sickly pale color.

"Ginny!"

Despite having been caught off guard, Draco had time to snatch up his boxers off of the floor and rapidly shove them on while pointing at the door, eyes blazing.

"Get out!" he growled and Ron turned his eyes away from the lump in the sheets to the more visible Slytherin.

"You… you…" In that moment, the young man's blue eyes became dark and vicious. "YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

"WAIT!" Ginny shrieked as Ron lunged at Malfoy. "NO!" She scrambled out of the bed, screaming as the two collided violently, wands forgotten as they struggled on the bed before crashing to the floor, punching and kicking wildly in an attempt to kill the other.

"STOP IT!" she pleaded. "RON! MALFOY!"

Unfortunately, Ron's rage was stronger than Malfoy's skills and after a moment of wrestling, the redhead had managed to get him up against the wall with his fingers curled around the blonde's throat. Draco tried to claw him off, but Ron punched him furiously in the face and increased pressure, his eyes blazing murderously. Ginny charged her brother and knocked him onto the floor, gasping painfully when her head struck the side of the table in her attempt to subdue the ferocious Gryffindor. She made a couple of false starts to get back to her feet as she struggled to keep Ron from attacking Draco again.

In the corner of her eye, she caught the Slytherin gulping for air as he made a lunge for his wand, the same bloodthirsty look on his pale face. Grabbing the side of her head, she took a couple of steps towards Draco before she tipped over and fell back down on the ground. Her breathing quickened and she took a deep breath, pulling her hand away to look down at the sticky, scarlet fluid on her fingers. Ron saw the blood and instantly his need to kill Draco Malfoy disappeared, replace by his unwavering concern for her well-being.

"Ginny, are you okay?" he demanded, hurrying over to her and taking her head in his hands. "Gin, you're bleeding."

Draco's concern piqued as well and he knelt down on the other side of her, examining her wound. "Bloody hell, Weasley," he muttered, waving his wand over the bump. "Can't even control your brother properly."

Ron's eyes flashed dangerously. "She wouldn't have to control me if you hadn't been groping her with your randy little fingers, Malfoy," he growled.

"I'm not the one getting his knickers twisted because his sister's no longer a virgin."

"That's because you raped her, you sodding piece of shit!"

Ginny closed her eyes and slapped the both of them across the faces, pushing their hands away from her and staggering to her feet. "You two are a pair of gits," she snapped irritably, tenderly touching the side of her head. "I'm in pain and all you two can do is try to find out who can insult the other one the most."

Draco grabbed her arm, steadying her before she toppled over again while Ron watched her with worry.

"Ginny-"

"Draco didn't rape me, Ron," she hissed, turning to face her brother and in the same turn placing herself in front of Draco. "We…" At this, she hesitated, unsure of how to effectively describe what had happened last night without making Draco uncomfortable and making her brother hate him even more. "We… made love… last night…" She lifted her chin a little and took a shaky breath. "He didn't rape me…"

Behind her, she felt Draco become stiff and knew he was waiting for Ron's reaction. While the humiliation she had felt when he had first come in had left her, now she felt just as raw and vulnerable as she had been when she had woken up.

"Ron," she whispered tearfully. "Please say something."

Ron's eyes filled with conflicting emotions and he ran a hand through his hair as he looked between Ginny and Draco. "Ginny," he whispered in that voice that made her heart constrict painfully. He shook his head and motioned to Draco, fighting against every instinct to hurt the young man. His breathing quickened and his eyes filled with anger. "Damn it, Ginny," he growled. "What the bloody hell were you thinking?"

At that, Ginny's shoulders crumpled and to Ron's surprise, Draco grabbed her, as she started crying, unable to control her emotions anymore. He held her close, smoothing out her hair and whispering in her ear.

"It's okay, Weasley," he murmured while Ron watched the two of them. Draco was holding Ginny with an unsettling look of concern on his face. It was a foreign emotion for the Slytherin, but somehow it completely erased any hateful feelings Ron had harbored.

Never in his life had he seen Draco become so affected by one person to such a degree that it was almost moving. "I'm sorry," he apologized, attracting his sister's attention. "I shouldn't have yelled at you." They were silent for another moment before he took her hand and ran his eyes over her face. "Are you okay?" he asked quietly. He took a quick breath and glanced over at Draco pointedly. "I mean… are you… okay?"

Ginny breathed in deeply and then nodded slowly, wiping her eyes and crossing her arms over her chest. "I know it's sort of hard to believe… but he's actually sort of a gentleman," she murmured, laughing nervously while she ran her hands through her hair.

She glanced between Ron and Draco and could tell her little quip had not gone over well. While the lust to murder each other had gone, she knew they were very far from getting over what had just happened. Besides, judging by the way Ron was glaring at Draco, hearing about Draco's bedside manner was not the reason for asking the question.

Biting her lip, she turned her attention back to Ron, knowing that there were still some unanswered questions floating around. "Um… what exactly… what exactly did you want?" she asked anxiously.

"And how the hell did you get in?" Draco added irritably, realizing that someone should have been watching the common room.

Ron's ears burned at the latter question and he motioned behind him. "I… um… I sort of… well, Goyle's going to have a headache for a while…"

Ginny snorted and then blushed violently when Draco shot her a nasty glare. She coughed and pointed to her discarded clothes, averting her eyes from both of them. "Um… I'm going to go… get dressed," she mumbled, scooping up her clothes and hurrying into the bathroom. The two seventh years stared at the door for a moment before Draco walked over to the common room entrance and opened the door, looking down the stairs to see Goyle still lying on the ground at the bottom, groaning in pain. It was then that Ron got a good look at the state of Draco's back and did not know whether to be amused or disgusted about how they had actually gotten there.

"Does it hurt?" he asked, holding back a smirk.

Draco caught the look on his face and rolled his eyes at the redhead's sick sense of humor. "You're still conscious, Weasley," he muttered. "But if you start asking me questions about how shagging your sister caused her to _tear up_ my back, then my foot up your arse will be the least of your worries."

Before Ron could respond, Draco turned around and fixed him with a suspicious look. "What are you doing here?" he demanded.

Ron's eyes hardened. "Hogwarts is being evacuated," he whispered, choosing not to remain on the current dilemma.

Draco turned around and his eyes hardened. "When?"

Ron eyed the bathroom door, trying his best not to look at the unmade bed nearby. "The announcement was made an hour ago. The train leaves in another hour," he said stiffly just as Ginny reappeared, tying her hair up in a ponytail. She froze when she realized both boys were staring at her. She had heard about the evacuation and knew that Ron did not intend to leave alone.

"Then I suppose we should go," she suggested, biting her lip at how dark Draco's eyes had gotten at the words.

Ron noticed it too and nodded. "Yeah, sure," he agreed. "Let's go."

Draco stepped out of his way as he headed for the door, his grey eyes fixed on Ginny as she followed suit. She stopped in the doorway, knowing that they needed to talk before she left. Ron stopped upon realizing that she was not following and when he saw the looks the couple gave him, he crossed his arms over his chest and snorted.

"Not bloody likely," he snapped threateningly. "I think you two've been alone long enough."

Ginny wrung her hands nervously and then turned to Draco, unsure of what to say. Draco leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips, smirking when she trembled a little at the caress.

"You should go," he murmured into her ear and she nodded, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves.

"I love you," she whispered and his grip on her arm tightened slightly before he kissed her cheek and pointed silently to the door. Ron reached out and took Ginny's hand, pulling her down the stairs as his eyes connected with Draco's, silently telling the Slytherin that they would have their chance to talk without Ginny around.

"Come on, Ginny," he coaxed. "We need to get your things."

Ginny followed him out of the Head common room, watching him carefully. She knew he was probably still reeling from what had happened in Draco's room. It seemed impossible to believe that she had once been intimately entwined with Draco, listening to him murmur sweet nothings into her skin. At that thought, she glanced up at Ron, eyeing him suspiciously. Catching the question in her eyes, he shrugged, shoving his fists into his pocket.

"I figured you'd be with Malfoy... I didn't know it would be like that..."

Ginny held back her words, knowing that he was not in the mood to hear it and now was not the best time to discuss last night. Instead she pressed her lips tightly together and hurried along with him to the Gryffindor House. As soon as they arrived, the spotted Hermione and Harry sitting in the corner, talking amongst themselves.

"I found her," Ron muttered, sitting down besides Hermione. Harry's mood instantly darkened when he saw her and he eyed her wrinkled clothes suspiciously. Hermione, on the other hand, was surprisingly calm, her eyes flitting around the room occasionally to keep tabs on things.

"Find her with Malfoy, did you?" Harry asked and Ginny had to swallow hard to avoid slapping him.

"Harry-"

"She was with Luna," Ron cut in, surprising them all by shooting Harry a very nasty glare.

Hermione looked between the two boys before offering Ginny a comforting smile. "Are you alright, Ginny?" she asked. When the younger girl nodded, Hermione glanced down at Harry and sighed. "Ginny, I want to apologize for what I said last night. Ron's explained some things to us and I understand how hard it must have been to keep such a thing to yourself... especially about Malfoy. I know we don't have the whole story and probably never will, but..." Hermione took a deep breath and reached out to take Ginny's hand. "We're worried about you... and we want you to be safe..."

Ginny glanced over at Ron. "How much have you told them?" she asked and he shrugged.

"Enough," he mumbled, indicating that he had obviously not told them the complete story about her argument with Draco.

"Harry," Hermione whispered, nudging him with her foot and giving him a pointed look. Ginny could tell that she had been working on him for a while and even then he refused to accept the relationship.

"It's fine, Hermione," Ginny interrupted, shaking her head. "Harry doesn't need to say anything."

"But-"

"It's fine, really." Her eyes met with Harry's briefly and she offered him a smile. "I betrayed your trust. And I'm sorry for that..."

Harry's eyes changed from being hateful to being lost and confused. "Why him?" he asked quietly and suddenly the entire mood changed. Hermione jerked a little and then after seeing the look between Ginny and Harry, stood up silently and tugged on Ron's shirt.

"Um... Ron, could you help me with some of those students over there?" she asked.

"What students?" Ron asked, still watching Harry and Ginny curiously. Rolling her eyes, Hermione pulled him up and took his hand.

"Come on," she snapped and after one more look, Ron reluctantly followed her to the other side of the common room while Ginny sat down in Hermione's abandoned spot. She stared down at her hands for a few minutes, trying to work through the emotions that were pumping through her. Her night with Draco seemed like a hundred years ago and the warmth she had felt was all but gone now.

"I honestly don't know, Harry," she told him.

"How do you not know-"

"It has nothing to do with you," she snapped and his eyes hardened.

"It's hard to believe that, Ginny," he replied. Biting her lip, she looked around the room and spotted Ron and Hermione standing near the window, staring out silently while they still clasped hands. A smile came to her lips and she turned back to Harry.

"Why did you fall in love with me?" she asked and Harry's cheeks reddened.

"Ginny, I don't know-"

"Exactly," she cut in, leaning forward. "You didn't know and I didn't know... sometimes these things just happen and we can't explain them. Just like you being the Boy-Who-Lived and Ron and Hermione being hopelessly and stupidly in love with each other."

Harry stared at her for a moment and then looked away, still trying to comprehend her choice. "But... Malfoy?"

Smiling, Ginny shrugged and leaned back in her seat. "I'm not planning on marrying him, Harry," she whispered.

"But you love him?"

She nodded without any reservations and he sighed, rubbing his face miserably with his hands. Ginny could see the mix of emotions in him and she reached out, taking his hand.

"He's not the monster you think he is, Harry," she told him and he snorted.

"I think he's exactly the monster I think he is."

"He loves me," she whispered and Harry became still. She knew he did not like what he had just heard.

"He's killed people, Ginny," he pointed out.

"So have you," she counted and in that moment all of the fight had escaped him, leaving his shoulders to sag and his eyes to close. Ginny gave his hand a squeeze. "I was hoping that you would forgive me."

"Ginny-"

"Excuse me, everyone!" Hermione called out. "I've just received word that we are to start moving down to Hogsmeade so that we can get on the train. Please gather your things and start leaving."

Ginny and Harry exchanged a look before she leaned in and kissed his cheek. "Please forgive me," she murmured. She then stood up and walked over to where Ron was holding her stuff. "Thank you," she said, taking it away and looking around the common room. "Do you think we'll come back?"

They heard someone sniff and turned to see Hermione's eyes filled with tears. Ron wrapped his arms around her and kissed her temple.

"I'm sure we will."

* * *

Ginny was restless. The constant presence of Aurors on the train along with nervous students passing by the compartment she occupied with her gloomy brother, Hermione and Harry only added to the anxious feelings that were coursing through her. The evacuation had brought more doubt into their minds about how safe things really were. Harry's eyes were glued to a letter given to him by Hagrid from Remus right before they boarded the train. He would occasionally tell them some information that Remus gave him, but for the most part he remained quiet, much to Hermione's irritation.

Ron was quiet as well, but for a very different reason that only Ginny was aware of. He refused to look at her as he continued to go through what had happened earlier that morning and the more he thought about it; the more he hated Malfoy and himself simultaneously. Malfoy for what he had done to Ginny, whether it was consensual or not, and himself for not killing Malfoy and behaving in such a horrible way in front of Ginny, especially when she was obviously in such a fragile emotional state.

The only thing that gave him solace was the fact that he had almost crushed the blonde's throat. But even this somehow seemed bitter after a moment of sniggering when he realized that he needed to confront Malfoy about what had happened before the Slytherin approached Ginny again.

"It'll be nice to finally be home again," Hermione announced, trying desperately to sound normal amid the tension that was so obvious between the other three. Her eyes flickered to Ron, in hopes of engaging him in a needed conversation, but instead he turned his attention to his sister.

"What the hell were you thinking?" he demanded suddenly and Ginny's eyes grew.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

Harry looked up from his letter.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Ron pressed. "Mafoy-"

"Ron!" Ginny hissed, glancing between their bewildered friends quickly. "You are not seriously-"

"I'm completely serious, Ginny," he responded and she crossed her arms over her chest and looked the other way like a child.

"This is hardly the time-"

"I think it's the perfect time-"

"Ron, perhaps it would be best if you left Ginny alone for a while," Hermione suggested innocently and he shot her the nastiest look in the world.

"Shut it, Hermione," he snapped. Ginny gasped and Hermione's lips clamped shut, her eyes filling with tears at the sharp words. Harry was at a loss of words. He would have thought after everything the two had been through, Ron would be gentler in his remarks to such a treasured friend. Instead, the boy's eyes clouded over and he rubbed his hands together, thinking things through quickly before he stood up. "I'll be out for a moment," Ron mumbled as he turned towards the door. Ginny could see the at once the anxious and raging look on his face and she got up as well, her nerves standing on end. If his reaction to Hermione was any indication, he was about to do something ill advised.

"Ron, if you think for a moment-"

"Piss off, Ginny," he snapped. His tone, more than his course of action, was what bothered Ginny the most. She completely understood his duty to stand up for her, no matter how annoying or violent it was. She did not, however, like the way he was beginning to treat everyone else.

"Ron, you have no right to treat Hermione or I this way," she protested. "Just because I-"

"Just because you what?" Ron dared, glaring right back at her. Ginny hesitated for a moment before she walked up to him, eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Ron-"

"Sit down, Ginny," he repeated and Harry and Hermione frowned. It seemed that despite Ron's initial display of protection for his sister, their relationship appeared to be doing worse as time went on and the gravity of Ginny's transgression began to fully hit her brother.

"Ron, perhaps you should calm down," Harry suggested and Ron shot him a look that rivaled the one he had given Hermione.

"Stay out of this, Harry," he growled.

Ginny was panicky at this point. She could tell he clearly wanted to leave, and she had no doubt about where he was headed. Wringing her hands together, she pleaded, "Ron, please-"

"Ginny, sit down!" Ron snarled and she sunk back into her seat, watching him anxiously.

"Ron-"

"Ginny, I swear to all that is holy _and_ unholy if you say one more word, I will not only tell _them_ what happened," he hissed, pointing to Hermione and Harry. "But I will tell our brothers as well."

Ginny's eyes widened and she clamped her lips shut, wanting nothing more than to curse her brother in that moment. But she refrained, left only to begrudgingly watch Ron walk out.

Hermione caught the irritated look on Ginny's face and frowned. "Ginny, what was he-"

"Drop it, Hermione," the redhead said, cutting off any attempt to figure out what was going on. Immediately, Hermione's eyes fogged up with tears and she turned to look out the window in an attempt to hide them. Ginny suddenly felt a wave of horror at having been so rude and she reached out to take her friend's hand, which only seemed to make matters worse.

A soft sob ripped from Hermione's lips and soon her entire body was shaking terribly as she cried silently by the train window. No comfort came to her, even as Harry and Ginny held her.

"I'm sorry, Hermione," Ginny apologized sincerely. "I didn't mean to upset you-"

The poor girl shook her head and waved them away. "It's not you," she managed through her sobs. "It's just…"

It was only then that Ginny saw just how much Hermione had been keeping in over the past few months and she bit her lip, glancing over at Harry to see if he could see it as well. Obviously, he did not, but she could not blame him. His mind had been elsewhere nowadays and, like Ron, he had never been the best at gauging emotions even when they were displayed so heavily before him. As Hermione continued to cry, Ginny motioned Harry to leave and after a couple of minutes of mouthing back and forth, Harry reluctantly conceded and silently left the two girls alone.

For a moment, Ginny just let Hermione cry, understanding that she needed this release to feel some semblance of normalcy again. After a couple of minutes, Hermione became silent and Ginny finally spoke.

"You're in love with him, Hermione," she whispered and for the first time the bushy-haired girl did not retaliate. Instead, her shoulders crumpled and she buried her face in her hands, releasing a slow, depressed moan. Ginny sat back in her seat and glanced over at the door. "Have you talked about it with Harry?"

Hermione shook her head. "Harry knows… but we don't really talk about it," she uttered. "I don't like to talk about it and… he doesn't bring it up."

"So you just keep it in?" Ginny asked and the young woman nodded slowly. Sadly.

Ginny could not bear to imagine what her friend was going through. She remembered the excruciating pain that had tormented her body after hearing Draco's searing words after she had told him that she loved him. One of the things that had gotten her through it and, if he had not been such an arrogant prick, eventually over it, was the thought that she had at least told him how she had felt. To not be able to tell someone at all that you loved them when they were so close at reach was unfathomable.

"You need to tell him, Hermione. It's killing you."

"I can't," she mumbled through her fingers. "I can't…"

"Why not?"

"It's complicated, Ginny."

The redhead could not help but raise an eyebrow. "My last name is Weasley and I'm secretly dating Draco Malfoy," she whispered. "Don't talk to me about complicated."

Hermione released a watery laugh and looked up at her friend, giving Ginny even more reasons to feel immense sorrow for the Head Girl.

"Hermione, you deserve the right to let him love you," Ginny snapped and Hermione shook her head.

"It… it wouldn't be appropriate," she murmured and held up her hand before Ginny could interject. "I know about you and Malfoy, but this is different, Ginny… it's… it's Harry…"

Ginny froze. If anything, Harry would be a reason for her and Malfoy not to be together. Not for Hermione and Ron not to be together.

"I don't understand, Hermione," she admitted and Hermione returned to staring at her hands.

"I promised Harry I would help him with this war." Her eyes glazed a little and her hands began to tremble. "Ron and I promised Dumbledore we would protect Harry until it was his time… that we would help him and teach him and… do _everything_ in our power to get him to the point where he was ready to face Voldemort." She turned to look at Ginny. "I made a promise Ginny…"

"But Ron-"

Hermione sat up straight and her eyes became very clear. "I love Ron," she blurted out, almost by accident. It was obvious to Ginny that she had never actually said it out loud before, and it took her a few moments to swallow that piece of information down. "I… I love… Ron…" She blinked and steeled herself up to press forward, determined to finish her statement. "But… if I allow myself to be taken by… my emotions and forget my obligations-"

"What about Ron-"

"Harry has to come first, Ginny," Hermione snapped, and this time it was easy to tell that these words were ones she repeated to herself on a daily basis. "Harry… Harry has to come first," she repeated with a softer tone. "If this war isn't won, then there isn't going to be much of a future left for Ron and I."

"Ron loves you, Hermione."

Hermione's body visibly jerked at the statement and her eyes welled up a little before they hardened and she became stiff. She stared at her hands for a moment and then sat back in her chair.

"I think Ron's old enough to understand what's going on," she murmured calmly and Ginny frowned.

"What do you mean, understand?" she asked before her eyes grew. "You mean he knows?"

Hermione shook her head, looking out the window again. There was a pain in her eyes that Ginny had never seen before and it only made the silence that much harder to bear. "I… I overheard him and Harry talking one night," she explained quietly, divulging a long held secret. "They started off talking about Hannah Abbott, but Harry… he… he asked Ron about me…"

"And what did Ron say?"

There was a brief moment in which Ginny swore Hermione would breakdown sobbing again, but instead, her jaw clenched and she turned to look at Ginny.

"Ron told Harry that it would be safer for all of us if neither he nor I ever said anything," she responded coldly. "That way we wouldn't waste time."

Despite the fact that the statement was insulting in a very hurtful way, Ginny could immediately see Ron's logic and thoughtfulness in the statement. Hermione, beneath all of the calculation and order, was very much an emotional person and usually became somewhat useless in incredibly emotional situations. A confession of love would do none of them well at this point in the war and Ron had acknowledged that fact and begrudgingly accepted it. The two had been left with no alternative choices other than to remain silent about their feelings.

"I'm really sorry, Hermione…"

* * *

It surprised Draco when Pansy appeared in his compartment on their way back to London. He had expected her to remain out of his sight for the remainder of the term. Her face was pale, but other than that there was no evidence of her being affected by what had happened the night Warrington had died. In fact, she was avoiding eye contact altogether, which should have aroused his suspicions had he been in a clearer state of mind.

In the past, he would have greedily accepted her emergence with an expulsion of everyone else in the compartment, but now he did not have a single shred of interest in her and all the experience she had to offer. All he could think about was Ginny and how bloody awkward and uncomfortable she had been last night while simultaneously arousing every nerve in his body and shattering his ability to efficiently separate his physical needs from the emotional needs he had suppressed for years. It had been unbelievably torturous and exciting and all he wanted was to return to this morning and lose himself in her.

"What exactly will we be doing when we arrive in London?" Goyle asked curiously.

Draco instantly pulled himself out of his thoughts of the Gryffindor and smirked. "The Dark Lord, my parents and several members of the Ministry of Magic would like me dead," he pointed out, his eyes drifting to the window. "I think the objective would be to not die."

"Will you be returning to the Manor?" Zabini asked while he kept his eyes glued expressionlessly on Pansy. He had been staring at her since she arrived and slowly Draco began to notice her fidgeting, growing increasingly uncomfortable around the dark-skinned Slytherin.

"I don't think that's necessary yet," Draco answered, attracting the young man's attention. Pansy tried to put on a strong exterior and turned her eyes away from Zabini.

"I think it would be best if the lot of us got out of England," she suggested.

"Why the hell would we want to do that?" a tall seventh year inquired incredulously. "If we wanted to run away from every little threat, we'd have been put in Hufflepuff."

Pansy's eyes narrowed. "For some of us, London is not the best place to be right now," she replied with a hint of amusement in her voice. Her eyes met with Draco's and her head tilted slightly. "Too many distractions."

"What the hell does he want?" Goyle blurted out, completely missing the murderous flash that had passed through Draco's eyes at Pansy's statement.

All of them looked up to see Ron Weasley standing at the door, glaring inside at Draco. He motioned the blonde out and to everyone's surprise, Draco stood up, eyes still fixed on Parkinson.

"Draco," Goyle started but the blonde held up his hand, stopping them all as he left the compartment, but not before sending Pansy one last glance.

"What is it, Weasley?" he growled and Ron pointed down the walkway to a more quiet part of the crowded train. They walked in silence for five minutes before Ron stopped and turned to face Draco.

"We need to talk," he murmured.

Snorting, Draco crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the cool window. Of all of the Gryffindors, Ronald Weasley was currently the last person he wanted to see.

"I think we've talked enough."

Ron actually cracked the glass when he grabbed Draco by the collar and slammed him up against the window, eyes narrowed dangerously as his wand dug painfully into Draco's neck. Their eyes clashed fiercely and in that moment, Draco realized just how important Ginny was to her brother. There was such a fierce seriousness in Ron's eyes that a tiny ounce of respect emerged within Draco for the redhead.

_Respect is beneath you, Draco,_ murmured the voice, reemerging from the seemingly hours of suppression. Draco had wondered where it had gone…

"I know at this point you'll find it easy to say something witty, but if you could refrain, I would appreciate it," Ron hissed. Draco eyed Ron, but said nothing while the boy's wand was twitching in his fingers.

Satisfied with the lack of response, Ron released Draco and waited while the blonde straightened his clothes, glaring down a nosy first year passing by. Ron saw the boy and pointed down the way. "Shove off," he snarled and the young boy scampered down the corridor. He kept his eyes on the retreating first year for a moment before turning back to Draco. "I'm not going to tell you not to see Ginny again," he muttered. "Because I know that'd be a waste of my time."

"Then what are you going to say?" Draco asked coolly.

Ron's eyes met his and finally they reached an understanding. "Ginny has six brothers, Malfoy," Ron whispered. He tapped Draco's chest pointedly and then started walking away. "It only takes one of us to kill you."

* * *

After spending some time with Hermione, Ginny had gotten up and left her to Harry, unable to sit still any longer. She knew Ron was probably confronting Draco and while she wanted desperately to go find them, she instead chose to go and find Luna. After reaching the baggage car, where three obnoxious Aurors had commanded her to turn around, Ginny found herself confused as to where her friend could be. Despite Ron's basic knowledge of the events of last night, she desperately needed someone to talk to about it and since her conversations with Draco would be severely limited by the amount of students constantly walking by and the unnaturally high amount of Aurors on the train in general, Ginny needed to find Luna. Besides, with the present evacuation, Ginny wanted Luna to spend what was supposed to be the rest of their time at Hogwarts with her at the Burrow.

"Hey Ginny!"

Turning around, Ginny smiled at the sight of Dean and slowed down for him to catch up with her. "Hi, Dean," she answered. "You don't seem to upset by the evacuation."

He shrugged and fell in step beside her, moving out of the way only when other students were passing by. "My mum's been writing like crazy, asking me to come home for the past month now, with all that's been happening in London. This is a dream come true for her and I don't mind not having to go to classes anymore," he divulged and she laughed.

"I suppose the lack of homework does make the transfer a little better," she agreed, glancing into a passing compartment. "It'll be nice to see family again."

"Just think of it as an extended vacation, I suppose," he advised. They talked for a while longer and as they did, Ginny's mind began to wander to the events of last night, her cheeks burning at the horrible way she had interpreted everything this morning and then the intimate events leading up to Ron's interruption.

"Watch it!"

Ginny collided into Pansy Parkinson, falling back on her rear, dazed and embarrassed. Dean came to her aid instantly while Pansy glowered at the redhead, infuriated by having run into the Gryffindor.

"Walk much, Weasley?" Pansy hissed. Ignoring the juvenile taunt, Ginny brushed herself off and took Dean's hand, attempting to move past the unpleasant girl. Pansy would have none of it and pulled out her wand. "I don't think so." Dean moved to pull out his wand and Pansy pointed her wand directly at his head. "Do it, Thomas and find out how much you're really worth."

"Piss off, Parkinson," Ginny snapped. "I haven't done anything to you." _That you know of_, she added silently, fighting back the desire to blurt it out in the raven head's face.

"I've had to take your bloody insults for the entire year without the pleasure of ruining you," Parkinson growled. "Now I'm going to make you pay."

"I thought the Slytherin Prince told you to leave me alone," Ginny countered, backing away with Dean. The look in the girl's eyes was that of wild, sadistic pleasure and it was beginning to frighten Ginny.

"Well, well, well," the girl crowed, approaching Ginny with a swagger in her step. "You pulled that card out really quickly," she observed, leaning in so that only Ginny could hear. "I suppose I'd use it more often if I were just shagged by Draco also."

Ginny's entire body lost motor function and her lungs constricted all of the air out of her in one massive gasp, leaving the girl with nothing more than a horrified expression and pounding heart. The smile on Pansy's face, however, never changed as she moved away from Ginny to gauge her reaction while handling anything Dean might try.

"You're lack of response only helps my case against you, Weasley," Parkinson growled.

Dean frowned. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Ginny jerked out of her stunned silence and grabbed Dean's arm, tugging him away. "Dean, let's go," she snapped pleadingly, startling him with her sudden shift in demeanor.

Pansy snorted and crossed her arms over her chest, tilting her head towards Dean. "He doesn't know?" she asked sadistically and Ginny shot her a look.

"Shut up, Parkinson," she hissed. "Shut up!"

"Or what? You'll threaten me with your womanly ways? You honestly think Draco did what he did because he was _attracted _to you?" she retorted.

"I know it's not why he did you," Ginny shot back unthinkingly and this time Pansy was not about to hold back.

"Getting screwed by Draco Malfoy isn't a badge of honor for little Gryffindors like you, Weasel Bitch," she snarled menacingly. "You know what it makes you? A TRAITOR!"

"Ginny, what's she talking about?" Dean asked quietly, his entire body growing rigid at Pansy's opening statement. Ginny shook her head and turned away from the offensive nuisance, silently pleading for an Auror to show up to keep Pansy quiet. Unfortunately, all she was getting was an audience of nosy students peeking out from their compartments, eyes and ears eager to take in the little spat.

"Nothing, she doesn't know what she's talking about," she muttered nervously, glancing around quickly. This was the last thing she needed.

Pansy's chilling cackle stopped her in her tracks. "Pictures don't lie, Weasley," she called and Ginny turned around swiftly, eyes wide in horror as Parkinson pulled out one photo. Ginny's body seized up as gasps filled the enclosed space, but she could not bring herself to move.

_This cannot be happening!_ Something screamed from within her, but her voice refused to work.

Pansy's eyes shifted from Ginny to Dean, whose eyes could not be torn from the damning image. "Say hello to Malfoy's new little fuck partner."

Ginny lunged at the girl and knocked her to the ground, grabbing her neck with one hand so as to allow her fist adequate time to collide with the Slytherin's face.

"Ginny stop!" Dean yelled and for a second the scene registered to the redhead as an ironic déjà vu, but beyond that, she refused to acknowledge it. She just kept hitting Pansy Parkinson, ignoring the girl's rather vicious attempts to fight back. "GINNY!"

Something lifted Ginny clear off of Parkinson and strong arms prevented her from attacking as Pansy staggered to her feet, bleeding heavily from her face and glaring murderously at Ginny and the person who had her.

"You're going to regret this," she spat, spraying blood all over the floor.

"YOU BITCH!" Ginny screamed, still fighting to be free from whoever was holding her back. "I'LL KILL YOU!"

Pansy pulled out her wand and before anyone could get to her, she disapparated, leaving Ginny and her captor to the hall filled with astounded students.

"Let go of me!" Ginny growled, breaking away from Draco just as Aurors began shoving their way through the throngs, demanding to know what was going on.

"What the bloody hell is going on here?" one Auror demanded, catching the disheveled state the redheaded girl was in. Draco grabbed Ginny's arm before they could and placed himself between them.

"This is a student matter," he snapped, shooting Ginny a withering look that actually shut her up. Behind him, she could see Blaise and Goyle menacingly threatening those who had been in the vicinity earlier while Aurors tried to figure out what was going on.

"Piss off, Malfoy," the Auror growled. "You have no authority here-"

"This is still the Hogwarts Express, Conwell," Draco retorted impatiently. "And while the presence of the Aurors is _greatly_ appreciated, I highly doubt you were asked to guard the students from an incompetent sixth year with a smart mouth."

Ginny shot him a glare but remained silent, wondering who had alerted the Aurors in the first place.

The Auror begrudgingly let Draco go, warning him to take Ginny back to her compartment and if he didn't, the Auror would be dealing with it personally.

"Not bloody likely," Draco muttered as he forcefully escorted Ginny down the cars to the compartment, shooting threatening looks to anyone who even glanced at them.

"Malfoy-"

"Shut up," he hissed, inflaming her anger once more.

"Look, you son of a-"

"I said shut up," Draco growled as they reached his compartment. There were a couple of Slytherins in there when he grabbed the doorknob and yanked it open, shoving Ginny roughly inside before stepping in and pointing to the door behind him.

"Everyone get out," he growled and they immediately moved, quickly exiting the compartment.

"Who the HELL do you think you are?" Ginny screeched, cutting him off before he could continue. "You can't just _grab_ me like that and think for a moment that I'll-"

"SHUT UP!" Draco snarled, causing Ginny to sink down in a seat. Realizing how harsh he had sounded, Draco took a quick breath and began pacing. "You shouldn't have done that."

Ginny looked down at her bruised hand. "What, hit your ex-girlfriend?" she muttered and yelped when he punched the wall, backing up into the corner to keep from getting in his way.

"This isn't funny, Weasley," he hissed furiously. "It's not a game."

"You've already made that perfectly clear," she retorted and his eyes narrowed dangerously. For the first time in a while, she saw a full range of emotions flash across his face as his jaw clenched tightly and his tightened fists bared white knuckles. Instead of hurting her, as was his first basic instinct, he began to pace restlessly in the small area, unnerving her even more.

The events of that morning seemed far away now and with the way things were going, the possibility of returning to that better place seemed remote.

"You know you'd be dead now if I didn't love you, right?" he asked quietly and her heart skipped a beat at the somewhat threatening confession. Her first instinct was to ask him if he really loved her, but judging by the way he was pacing, she knew that asking such an irritatingly stupid question would only upset him and perhaps even force him to retract the statement altogether. Instead, she remained silent, basking in the warmth that his words had brought while simultaneously wishing he would stop pacing and explain to her what was really going on. "Pansy's probably already told them about me."

Ginny looked up to realize that Draco was no longer talking to her. His eyes were glazed over and he looked extremely unsettled, adding to her apprehension of his overall state of being.

"Malfoy, she knew about… she knew about us… about last night," she whispered but he did not look at her.

"And if they know that means… he knows…"

"Malfoy-"

"I know," he snapped and she suddenly took up chewing on her lip.

"And?" she pressed somewhat hysterically. Why was he not as affected by that piece of information as she was?

Draco finally returned to reality and turned to look at Ginny, realizing just how upset she was. The sight of her sitting there softened him up a bit and he ran his fingers through his hair. Ginny had never seen him so nervous before and it was a relief that he could actually experience that feeling.

"Bloody hell, Weasley," he muttered. "You're a lot more work than you look." A ghost of a smile graced his lips when she huffed in indignation and shifted on the seat.

"It's not like I did this on purpose," she responded defensively. "It's not completely my fault we had sex."

Draco's eyes snapped to hers and she hesitated. "I didn't force you to do anything," he growled and she realized how her words had sounded to him. Shaking her head, she stood up.

"That's not what I meant… I just meant that… last night was…" The way he was looking at her indicated that she was not making a lick of sense and she decided not to continue down that path. Instead, she chose to point out the obvious. "We're both in a bit of trouble here, aren't we?" she mumbled. "Pansy knows…"

"I'm well aware of that fact, thank you," he muttered irritably and she rolled her eyes.

"Yes, but are you aware of the fact that by tonight my family might know as well," she snapped, attracting his attention. "I don't know about you, but I never saw Parkinson as one to keep a secret."

His grey eyes moved over her face for a moment before he quickly leaned in and kissed her, secretly yearning to do more. Her soft lips slowed down his advance, steadying the surge of hunger that had spiked within both of them and allowing Ginny a chance to finally control the situation, even for a moment. She placed her hands on his chest to keep from advancing, enjoying the deliberation of their kisses. When he pulled away, she opened her eyes to find him moving to the door.

"Don't wait up for me," he called over his shoulder and she smiled, touching her lips gently with her fingers to savor the taste of him.

"I've learned not to hold my breath," she replied and he glanced back at her. "You're much too disappointing."

He opened the door just as Blaise and Goyle appeared, and he motioned for her to leave. "That's not what you said last night," he commented as she passed him.

A mischievous glint flashed in her eyes and she snorted. "You didn't say anything last night," she responded with a smirk. "What does that say about you?"

Draco smiled a genuine smile and winked at her. "It means I was concentrating," he answered, causing her to blush deeply. Satisfied with her reaction, he turned to face the other direction, watching as several Aurors made their way towards his compartment. "Now run along, little Weasley," he advised. "The adults have to talk for a while."

He didn't have to look back to know that by the time the Aurors got there, she had already disappeared. His heart ached at the loss and his body longed for her once more, but his mind crushed those feelings, masking them with a look of indifference and a voice of pure, calculated malice that only he did well.

He would see Ginerva Molly Weasley sooner or later. However, judging by the looks in the eyes of the Aurors approaching him, he doubted the term sooner would ever cross his lips anytime in the near future.

**A/N: Well, at least I posted… **

**The Darkest wizard:** I haven't actually thought about that, but I'm glad you mentioned it. I might bring it up in the next chapter. Thanks for reading!

**Miss-Talkative:** I'm glad you've identified the two Draco's as different (I hope that's what you meant when you said you liked the other one). I've been so worried that both Draco's are exactly the same. I think this one's a bit more… open? I don't know… As for my imagination, I have absolutely no idea. It just pops out and I write it down (with help from my trusty beta NoReins!) I'm glad you like it so much. I'll do my best to update, but college is taking up a lot of my time so I do what I can.

**padmeani8:** In all honesty, I did not like writing that last chapter (not because of the intimate scenes) but because all of those scenes were so close together. I'm glad you liked it though.

**NoReins94:** As you can tell by my extremely late updates that college is controlling very much all of my time right now. I want to thank you for responding so quickly to my two/three month delay. I really appreciate it. As for Draco being honest, I think by the end of this chapter, you start to see him become more comfortable with telling Ginny things.

**roni2010:** Thank you. I'm glad you liked the chapter.

**Chapter Tease: **

_"Are my parents okay?" she asked and Molly and Arthur exchanged glances. The man smiled and sat down across from her. _

_"Your parents are fine," he answered pleasantly. "They're worried about you. "You're in a lot of trouble."_


	19. Problematic

_Everybody, soon or late, sits down to a banquet of consequences._ **-****Robert Louis Stevenson**

* * *

Their arrival to the Burrow was tense and uninviting. Four Ministry officials were standing right outside waiting to whisk Harry off for what they called an informal conversation with the Minister. Mr. Weasley and Remus Lupin went there as well and looked unnerved by the entire thing, advising Harry to remain silent and refusing to answer questions of Ron and Hermione. Ginny, Luna and Neville just watched silently by, knowing their place in the scheme of things and thankful that their relationship with Harry was not so draining. By the time Hermione and Ron had come into the house, without Harry or Ron's father, Hermione looked close to tears and Ron looked ready to punch the next person who spoke to him. Remus never said a word.

This did not, however, exclude Ginny from having to deal with her brother, who had a whole lot more to say to her about what he had walked into at Hogwarts. While he promised not to tell Harry or Hermione about it, he threatened to tell their brothers about Draco Malfoy if something came up during the break that forced Ron's hand. These were dangerous times and if Ginny's relationship with Malfoy became an issue that could not be swept away, Ron would have to say something. Ginny agreed and remained silent on the issue for the rest of the time.

While she preferred not to think about Draco anyway, that was becoming increasingly difficult. Instead of laying low like she would have thought he would do, she had been receiving increasingly obnoxious letters by owl from different parts of Europe, informing her of random events in that country. The first letter she had received was from Romania and she had assumed it had been some cryptic message from Charlie, but after she started receiving them from Germany and Albania, she stopped telling her family about them when she realized all of the news clippings had something to do with either sex, snakes or were from the day before they had been evacuated from Hogwarts.

"He really is messing with you, isn't he?" Luna commented as she placed one of the news clippings inside an envelope Ginny was keeping them all in.

"He's being ridiculous," the redhead responded. "For someone who doesn't want people to know about us, he's going through a whole lot of trouble to remind me about it as well."

"Perhaps this is his way of showing affection," Luna suggested absentmindedly as she red another article. "Did you know that Switzerland is known for a rare type of hippogriff? Apparently they live in the Alps around there," she continued, holding up another article for Ginny.

"No, I didn't, Luna," Ginny replied, sitting down beside her friend and sighing. "I cannot believe he's doing this. It's completely daft."

"Well, I'm sure he has his reasons."

Ginny sighed and looked down at the articles. "I just hope he's okay."

"You're worried about Malfoy?"

"I'm worried about Parkinson. She knew about us."

"Oh yes… I remember…" Luna glanced out the window and smiled. "It's snowing."

Ginny looked as well and smiled. Somehow Luna always knew exactly what to do. No wonder Harry had taken a liking to her so quickly.

"Ron, you incredible arse!"

Luna and Ginny looked up as Neville came walking into Ginny's room, rolling his eyes.

"I was wondering what was taking them so long," he muttered and the two girls laughed.

* * *

Three days. That's how long it had been since they had whisked Harry away and already Hermione was having doubts about whether he would be coming back at all. She had hoped that it would only be a few hours, but after spending as much time occupying her mind with her parents, she focused all of her attention on worrying about Harry. If she did not, she would end up thinking about Ron, and that only increased her anxiety.

Sighing at the thought, Hermione looked down at the book in her hand and flipped the page, re-reading the proper use for the potion she was making in the kitchen. Tonks had warned her on numerous occasions that if someone with ill intent got a hold of the potion, it would not bode well, but legally she could not stop Hermione from making it. The potion, titled the bland name of Edmund Fartel, after the man who had created it, was supposed to be an anecdote for poisons, particularly the poison from Voldemort's snake, Nagini. However, if mixed with table salt and thus making it tasteless, it could become deadly as well.

Hermione still had every intention of making it.

"Tonks says that stuff could kill someone."

Hermione's eyes closed briefly at the voice, but she managed to keep from bolting out of the room. Instead, she took a quick breath and glanced over her shoulder at him.

"Only if used improperly," she replied and Ron snorted.

"Table salt, Hermione," he said pointedly. "I think improperly is a poor choice of words."

"It's late, Ronald, you should go to bed," she muttered, returning to stirring the contents of the small cauldron slowly. She loved him dearly, but wanted him out of her presence at the moment.

"Why aren't you in bed?"

"If you knew a bit more about this potion, you would know why," she responded irritably. When he did not respond, she believed he had left her alone, but instead he appeared besides her, looking out the window with his hands resting on the counter. She watched him for a moment and then returned to her potion making. "Scared?" she asked quietly.

"Harry should have been back by now," Ron murmured and she glanced over at him, biting her lip at how pensive he looked. His blue eyes were glazed over in thought, and from where she looked; she could see the bags under his eyes. Apparently Harry's departure had not done much to help his sleep as well.

"I'm sure he's fine," she told him. "Your father was with him."

"Yeah, because my dad's never gotten hurt at the Ministry before," he replied bitterly and inwardly Hermione cringed at the sound. It reminded her of his behavior on the train and it hurt to think of it. She longed for the days when he would make snide remarks with laughter in his voice. She did not like this side of Ron.

"You look tired, Ron," she whispered, suddenly needing him to leave again. "You should go back to bed."

"So should you."

There was another silence before Hermione sighed and once again returned to her potion. Arguing with Ron at this point in their lives was becoming tedious. With all of the more important things to worry about, bickering over whom needs the most sleep suddenly paled in comparison. Besides, his presence was soothing as they both stood there silently.

"Is everyone going to be here for Christmas?" she asked after another moment and for some reason, Ron rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, they are."

Frowning, Hermione turned to him. "What is it?"

Ron looked down at her quickly before pulling out a letter and handing it to her. "It's from Fleur to mum."

Hermione set down the spoon she was using to stir and opened the letter, reading quickly through it until she reached the bottom. As soon as she did, her cheeks flushed and she looked up at Ron.

"Victor's coming for Christmas?" she managed to squeak without betraying any sort of emotion that she knew would agitate him.

Nodding, Ron took the letter back and put it in his pocket. "Fred and George say that Fleur's been begging mum to allow him to come seeing as they haven't seen each other in a while and at first mum said no, but once Fleur got wind that Neville would be coming over with his Gran, she sort of… became adamant…"

"Is he going to be _staying_ here?" Hermione probed and Ron's eyes darkened a little.

"No."

Her eyes widened a little at his curt reply, but she said nothing of it and returned to her potion. Her head was spinning with the information and she wondered why Ron was so calm about it.

Her heart jumped.

Perhaps he had moved on from his jealousy of the Quidditch star.

_Or perhaps he's just waiting for you to react so he can too,_ a little voice whispered.

"Have you spoken to him a lot?"

She almost dropped her spoon. Collecting herself better, she glanced over at Ron to see genuine curiosity in his eyes instead of the insufferable prying that was usually there. Hesitating, she nodded.

"Yes, I have," she answered. "We've written a couple of times, though he never mentioned coming here for Christmas."

"I suppose he wanted to keep it a surprise."

"I suppose he did…"

"With all that's happened, you two will have a lot to catch up on."

"I suppose," she repeated, uncertain of his emotional state. "You're okay with this?"

To her shock, Ron looked somewhat insulted by her insinuation. "Contrary to what you might believe, Hermione, I'm perfectly capable of being civil with _Victor_," he responded tersely.

Holding up her hands, Hermione shook her head. "Ron, that's not what I meant… I just know that… you don't particularly like Victor. Normally when I mention him, you get all… funny…"

"That's not true," he protested and she tilted her head to the side. For a moment she was tempted to argue with him and point out every single instance in which they had gotten into a fight because of his reaction to her mentioning of the Quidditch player. But then something occurred to her.

It really didn't matter. With everything that was going on, Victor Krum really didn't matter that much anymore. It had taken the both of them to establish that fact and to, in a very roundabout way, admit to each other that they cared for each other much more. She was in no mood of destroying all of that by arguing with Ron.

So instead of pointing out the flaw in Ron's statement, she returned to her potion and shrugged.

"I suppose," she murmured and he stared at her for a moment, unsure of her answer.

"Really?" he could not help but blurt out and she shrugged again.

"It doesn't really matter, does it?" she responded nonchalantly, refusing to look at him. Ron instantly knew what she was trying to avoid doing and in that moment he loved her more than anything.

A smile came to his face and he leaned in and pressed a kiss to her cheek, the smile growing when she turned slightly so that the corners of her lips touched his before she breathed deeply and turned back to her potion.

"You're a beautiful person, Hermione Granger," he murmured into her ear before he left the kitchen. Hermione smiled and continued to stir.

* * *

Early the next morning, Ginny followed Luna down the stairs and into the kitchen where her mother was scolding the twins for something they had done or failed to do. Upon seeing their sister, Fred and George switched their attention to her and grinned.

"Ginerva," George announced whimsically. "Your beauty is equal only to the execution of your famed Bat Bogey Hex."

Ginny rolled her eyes and sat down besides Luna. "Your stupidity is equal only to the amount of unfortunate souls who have walked into your stores and were curious enough to actually buy something," she responded and Fred grabbed his heart in an exaggerated gesture and tilted back in his chair.

"Oh sister! You're bark is just as bad as your bite!" he exclaimed before falling out of his chair. Mrs. Weasley rolled her eyes as she placed food on the table.

"Fred, get off of the floor," she snapped, moving around her son. "And please do not forget to stop by Mrs. Emmerson's home to give her that food."

"Mum, you told us fifty times already," George muttered, helping his brother off the floor before he leaned in and gave his mother a peck on the cheek. "Now where does Mrs. Emmerson live again?"

"OUT!" Mrs. Weasley shouted, shoving the two men out the door just as Mr. Weasley, Bill, Ron and Neville came in. "Oh those boys!"

Bill snorted as he sat down at the table with his sister. "Oh, now I remember why I moved out," he commented, earning him a glare from his mother while his father shook his head and placed a file on the table.

"You will not believe what happened last night," he started as Ron and Neville moved towards the stairs. Ginny and Luna followed suit, having no interest in hearing about whatever evil deed had been committed during the night.

On their way up the stairs, they ran into Hermione, who had the biggest smile on her face. It actually grew when she caught sight of Ron and her smile got bigger as she hugged him. A sharp pang of jealousy erupted briefly within Ginny upon seeing the display of affection while Ron reciprocated the action.

"Is everything okay?" he asked tentatively and she pulled away quickly, remembering that others were there.

"Um… yes, everything is wonderful. I asked to go to Diagon Alley and Tonks agreed that she'd come for protection," she told them. "I was just about to come down and ask if you all wanted to come."

"When?" Luna asked, trying to draw attention to herself while the two continued to exchange glances.

Hermione pushed some hair out of her eyes and motioned behind her. "Well, I'm ready to go. My parents are going to stay behind and help your mum with the rest of the decorations," she explained. She faltered slightly as she said, "I was hoping Harry would be here, but I suppose we will have to go without him."

Ginny offered a smile. "Well, as long as our parents are okay with it. I'm sure mum'll be overjoyed to get us out of the house," she said. "Though she might want some additional protection along with Tonks…"

Hermione nodded. "Your brothers wouldn't mind, would they?" She glanced over at Ron when she asked this.

Ron's eyes brightened and he nodded. "Let's go."

A cry downstairs interrupted any further conversation and they hurried down into the kitchen to find Mrs. Weasley at the door, clutching a frightened Harry to her chest as Remus eyes landed straight on Ginny with a strange look.

"Harry!" Hermione gasped, running over to say hello, along with Neville and Luna.

"Are you okay, Harry?" Luna asked while Mr. Weasley pulled his wife into the next room with a strange look on his face. Remus trailed after, leaving the young people alone.

"I'm fine," Harry assured everyone. "I was just answering questions."

"For three days?" Hermione demanded, still checking his body for foul play. "That's how long it's been, you know?"

"Really, Hermione? Time moves so fast at the Ministry, especially since I was having so much fun talking to the bloody Minister," Harry growled and she shot him a dark look.

"You missed the twins," Neville said. "They just left."

"You look well rested for having spent time at the Ministry," Ginny observed. "That means they allowed you to sleep."

"I slept a little," he answered tersely. "Everything alright here?"

Before they could reply, Mrs. Weasley came back with a sour look on her face. Mr. Weasley and Remus followed after.

"Molly, please, you have to understand-"

"_Three days_, Arthur," Mrs. Weasley snapped. "They had him locked up for three days!"

Ron and Harry exchanged glances before Harry stepped forward.

"Mrs. Weasley, I'm fine," he tried to assure the angry matriarch. "I wasn't really locked up-"

Harry's saving grace was the knock at the door. Without waiting for a response, the twins bounded back into the house with Tonks right behind them.

"Mrs. Emmerson is in good health," George announced before they noticed Harry. "Oi! Well look at who decided to grace us with his almighty presence!"

Fred grinned and looked at Harry closely. "Well, George, I'd have to say he's not so much almighty as he is present," he commented, poking the young man in the shoulder as if to prove his statement correct. Mrs. Weasley looked upset at this point.

"What are you lot doing here?" she asked while Tonks moved over to whisper something to Fred and he grinned.

"We, dear mother, are here to escort these lovely ickle people to Diagon Alley," Fred pronounced and Mrs. Weasley snorted.

"There will be no such thing!" she protested. "None of these children, _especially_ Harry,will be going to Diagon Alley."

"Molly, I promised Hermione that I, along with three other Aurors and your two sons will accompany them," Tonks explained. "There are already Aurors all over Diagon Alley, so I don't see how the extra security would be a problem."

"I think that's a fabulous idea," Mr. Weasley commented and Mrs. Weasley rounded on him.

"Arthur!"

"Molly, their old enough to take care of themselves," Remus said. "And we'll be there, so don't worry."

"But-"

Fred and George surrounded their mother and kissed her cheeks. "Come on, mum!" they exclaimed. "Show a little faith!"

"But-"

"Please, mum?" Ron joined in and she released a frustrated sigh, swatting the twins away from her.

"Fine! Fine!" she snapped, pointing a finger at Tonks and Remus. "But I'm holding you two responsible for anything that happens."

Fred and George exchanged glances as they headed for the door.

"Wicked," they smirked.

* * *

It was easy to see why Remus was so confident in the security in Diagon Alley. The moment the little group arrived, they could see Aurors on guard at almost every major store along the street as well as with a few moving up and down the street with vigilant eyes and ready wands.

"If anything happens, there are three portkeys in the church a couple of blocks down the street from the twins' shop," Remus told the group.

"You'll be stopping by the shop, right?" Fred and George asked and the six nodded quickly.

"Of course," Ginny responded with a grin. Luna had already wandered off and Harry and Neville had gone with her. Hermione and Ron exchanged glances before heading off in the same direction and Ginny trailed behind, thankful to just be outside.

"Oi!" Remus called before rolling his eyes and followed after them with Tonks by his side. "This is going to be a long day."

"Well, it's better than the alternative," she whispered.

"What's the alternative?"

"We could be at Azkaban, cleaning up that fire," she said and he grimaced.

"You heard about that?"

Tonks gave him a look. "The whole damned department heard about what happened over there last night," she said and could not help the shiver that ran up her spine. "Thirty-three dementors disappear without any sign and someone will notice. What are the officials saying?"

"_They_ aren't saying much of anything," Remus replied quietly, watching the young adults carefully. "No one outside of the department was even supposed to know about it, but some rookie accidentally let an official in before Alastor could get there."

"Do you think something will happen?" she asked quietly, watching as the group of young adults continued to move down the street.

Remus shrugged. "I don't know. Alastor's on edge about it and the Minister of Magic is giving him hell for still using dementors after what's happened in the past."

"It's not Alastor's fault. The Minister of Security was the one who signed those papers. Alastor opposed it, didn't he?"

Nodding, Remus stopped and turned to face her. "Yes, but do you think the Minister cares about that? They need someone to blame and they're going to blame Alastor if it's the last thing they do."

Tonks frowned. "This whole thing is getting out of control," she whispered and started to walk again, her eyes fixed on Harry. "Perhaps it would be safer if the students were back at Hogwarts."

"Hogwarts was never that safe, Tonks," Remus replied and she looked at him.

"Dumbledore seems to think so."

Remus glanced over at her. "Dumbledore is getting older," he said before moving past her.

* * *

"Don't you already have that book?" Harry asked as he and Neville trailed behind Hermione in the bookstore after she and Ron decided it was best that he not enter the shop altogether. His patience with her browsing was not the best and they did not wish to fight so close to Christmas. He, Luna and his sister had gone off to look for a new pet for Luna, whose owl had unfortunately died during the end of the semester. Remus had gone with them while Tonks moved in the background, keeping an eye on the small group but staying out of their way.

"Yes, Harry, I do," Hermione responded tersely, shoving the book back on the shelf and moving on to another category. "Am I not allowed to look at books I've already read?"

Harry sighed and looked around. "Certainly, Hermione."

"Are you looking for a gift for Ron?" Neville asked curiously.

"No. I got his gift a couple of months ago," she replied nonchalantly. "This is for Luna and Ginny."

"Seriously?" Harry asked and her cheeks reddened a little.

"Well… that's not really important," she muttered.

"Really? Because I think the way you two have been acting since I got back is important," Harry replied.

Hermione's eyes became extremely focused on a couple of books in the magical creatures category. "I don't know what you're talking about, Harry."

"Neville says you two have been really close since last night."

"Neville!" Hermione gasped and the boy shot a look at Harry.

"I said no such thing," he snapped and Harry grinned.

"True, but Hermione just justified the statement," he confirmed and Hermione's eyes widened for a moment at her slip before she turned back to the books.

"Nothing's going on, Harry," she murmured. "We just talked, is all."

Harry and Neville exchanged smirks before they moved around to look at some books on the shelf.

"Sure Hermione," Neville muttered and a small smile appeared on her face.

"Oh be quiet, you two," she murmured. They browsed a little while longer before they headed for the long line at the check-out counter.

"Neville?"

The three turned to see Hannah Abbot coming up behind them in line with a few books in her hand. Her eyes widened when she caught sight of Harry, but the smile on her face remained bright and welcoming.

"Oh hello, Harry. Hermione," she greeted. "I would have thought you would be hiding underground with fifty Aurors, Harry."

To the surprise of his two companions, Harry blushed a little and shrugged. "Last minute Christmas shopping," he replied and she nodded, motioning to the books in her hands.

"Same," she said before turning her attention to Neville, much to Harry's disappointment. "Actually, I've been meaning to talk to you. I was wondering about some plants in my yard. I think they're biting my dogs."

Hermione watched as she and Neville conversed while they stood in line, switching her gaze from Hannah to Harry to see how her friend watched the Hufflepuff with obvious interest. Hannah was also flashing quick glances in Harry's direction, but she managed to remain focused on Neville.

"'Scuse me, ma'am," the woman at the counter called. "Your books?"

Hermione hurried over and quickly bought her books before moving to the door with Harry and Neville.

"Perhaps we should invite Hannah to lunch," Hermione suggested, nudging Neville with a smile. Harry immediately perked up and Neville grinned.

"Sure, I'll go ask her," he responded, going back to where Hannah was checking out her books. The young woman glanced over to where Hermione and Harry were standing before she smiled and nodded. She quickly got her things and followed them out the door into the chilly, London air.

"How is your family handling what's been going on?" Hermione asked curiously as they walked down the street.

"My mother wanted us to leave England," Hannah admitted, pulling her hair back from her pink face. "My father managed to convince her to stay until New Years."

"I'm glad he did," Harry said and Hannah almost tripped. Both of them turned red and Neville and Hermione grinned.

* * *

"There you are!" Ginny called from a table in a café they had agreed to meet at. Tonks joined Remus at the bar. "Oh, hello Hannah! It's great to see you again!"

"Where are Ron and Luna?" Neville asked as they sat down.

Ginny glanced between Harry and Hannah quickly before replying. "They went to get some drinks. There they are."

Ron and Luna appeared with three drinks. When Ron realized there were more people at the table, he grinned and pointed back at the crowded bar.

"I'll go get some more," he said and Hermione stood up.

"I'll help you," she offered, leaving with him.

Hannah watched them go and smiled. "Are they dating?" she asked curiously and Neville snorted.

"They like each other, certainly, but the day they start dating will be the day Malfoy…" He stopped suddenly, coughed and then grabbed the butterbeer that Ron left behind. Ginny's face became red while Harry's eyes darkened a little. Luna smiled at the slip while Hannah just looked confused. However, before she could ask about it, Neville regained some composure and began speaking again. "Anyway, how about we go to the twins' shop after we eat?"

Ginny shifted in her seat and coughed. "That sounds like a lovely idea. Will you be joining us, Hannah?"

The young woman glanced over at Harry quickly before nodding. "I suppose, if that's okay. To be honest, I've never been there before."

"Seriously?" Ron asked, having heard the last part of the conversation. He and Hermione sat down and handed out the rest of the drinks. "I'll be sure to mention that when we get there. Fred and George'll be ecstatic."

Hermione looked a little scared. "Ron, you wouldn't do that to her, would you? Your brothers would never let her live it down."

"It's starting to snow again," Luna commented and they all turned to look outside. Ginny's eyes brightened at the sight and she watched as people walked by, grinning in the snow. It reminded her of her first time to Hogsmeade in the snow. Despite the anxiety everyone was feeling due to the TriWizard Tournament, it had been a rather enjoyable time for her.

Her eyes moved to Neville. She remembered when he had asked her to the Yule Ball and the slight disappointment she had felt that he had not been Harry. It had been a very different time back then, when her crush on Harry had slowly grown over the years. But now…

She glanced over at Harry and saw him engrossed in a conversation with Hannah.

_"Do you see her often?" she asked nonchalantly and he shrugged. _

_"In the library sometimes," he muttered and she smiled. Harry had never been very good at hiding his feelings, especially when it came to those of the opposite sex._

_"She's a nice girl," Ginny commented as casually as possible, still watching Harry's face for a response. He did not fail her. The corner of his mouth twitched upward and his eyes glazed over momentarily as if he were remembering some fond memory._

_"Yeah."_

_"Pretty."_

_His ears became inflamed. "Yeah… what?" Harry stuttered and she looked down at him. _

_"No need to be uncomfortable about it, Harry," she said firmly. "It's okay if you like her."_

_Harry shook his head. "We're just friends, Ginny-"_

_"No, Harry," Ginny cut in, her eyes hardening. "You and I are just friends. Hannah's… a possibility."_

But now, her feelings for Harry had subsided and given way to more tempered emotions. At least when it came to him. Her issues with Draco Malfoy were a completely different story, at this present moment, she was slightly unsure of. They evolution of their relationship had not been as subtle as it had been with Harry and after the events that had occurred on the train prior to their arrival in London, the status of the relationship was slightly unclear.

There was no doubt in her mind that Draco cared deeply about her and perhaps even loved her, but with the threat of Parkinson's photos came the threat of Draco reverting back to the man he was before.

"Ginny!"

She jerked and turned to see Neville staring at her with a smile on his face. Everyone else had already gotten up and they were putting on their coats and heading for the door.

"We're leaving," he said.

"Oh." She grabbed her coat and hurried after them.

* * *

"Welcome, welcome!" Fred and George greeted as the group entered the shop with Tonks and Remus close behind. The moment Hannah stepped through the door, bells went off around the store and the twins came bounding over with huge grins on their faces, which only got bigger when they saw how close to Harry the young woman had jumped when the alarm went off. "Oh, a new comer," they exclaimed, shoving everyone else out of the way.

"And who might your friend be, Harry?" Fred asked suggestively and Hannah blushed.

"Hannah Abbot," she managed before George grabbed her and hooked his arm with hers.

"Well, Ms. Abbot, we are your very special hosts today," he said. "I am George and that ugly mug is Fred and we are the owners of this fine establishment."

"Don't scare her," Harry called and Ron chuckled as he, Neville and Luna moved off towards the merchandise

Fred hooked her other arm and they went up the first stairs. "Harry, don't worry. We'll have your bonny lass back in one piece," he said over his shoulder and Hannah's face turned completely red as she was ushered away.

Ginny wandered off down an aisle, examining some of the merchandise. As much as she was enjoying herself, she found herself thinking about Draco.

"Thinking about Malfoy?"

Ginny turned to see Hermione watching her carefully. Biting her lip, the redhead forced a smile and shrugged. "I was thinking about a lot of things," she replied. "You and Ron looked comfortable at the café."

Hermione blushed but seemed determined not to change to conversation. "You really do love him, don't you?"

Ginny shrugged and returned to searching the shelves. "Yes, but I don't think that's important right now," she whispered. "What's important is what's going on between Hannah and Harry."

The older girl approached Ginny and looked around for the subject of their conversation quickly. "I don't think Harry would appreciate us talking about that," she muttered. "Especially since what's going on could hardly be considered serious. He likes her, but it's not… it's not like-"

"You and Ron? Neville and Luna? Draco and I?" she asked sardonically and Hermione frowned.

"Well, it's not the same," she murmured, looking around. "You, more than any of us, know how Harry deals with… _this_ sort of thing." Hermione picked up a love potion and analyzed it critically. "He likes Hannah, but… as long as Voldemort's alive, he's not about to let himself get as close to her as he did you… or Cho, for that matter."

Ginny nodded silently but Hermione could see that her thoughts were not on Harry in the slightest. Despite her denial and Ron's reluctance to talk about it, Hermione knew Ginny's relationship was a lot more than what she was willing to admit. It was much more complicated than her relationship with Ron, but it fascinated Hermione that Ginny was able to handle the entire situation calmly.

"Do you think we'll get back to Hogwarts after the break is over?" Ginny asked curiously as she went back to looking around.

Hermione frowned. "It hardly seems safe, does it," she responded sternly. "The whole reason we left was because Hogwarts wasn't safe anymore."

Ginny snorted. "And this is?"

Before Hermione could comment on it, however, shouting broke out in front of the store. Hermione and Ginny hurried to the front of the store to see Victor Krum standing at the front with a small crowd of people gathering around him, asking for autographs or taking his photo.

"Victor!" Hermione gasped loudly and he looked up to see her.

A smile came to his face and he waved. "Hermione! How are you?" he asked in his thick accent as she rushed down the stairs to meet him. Ginny glanced over her shoulder to see Ron watching the two with a blank face. She turned back to Hermione to see her giving the Quiddich star a hug and surprisingly a kiss on the cheek as they pulled away to speak.

"I'm doing well," she answered. "I didn't know you were coming in today."

Victor looked a little surprised. "You knew I was coming?"

Hermione grinned and looked over her should to find Ron gone. Her smile faltered slightly before she turned back to Victor. "Well, actually, Ron told me," she told him. "He said you would stop by for Christmas."

A smile appeared on Victor's face and he leaned in so only Hermione could hear. "How is Ronald doing?" he asked cheekily and Hermione blushed furiously, hitting him playfully on the arm and pulling him to where Ginny was standing.

"Stop it, Victor."

* * *

"We should go," Ron muttered darkly as he stood with Harry, Neville and Luna. "We've stayed around long enough as it is."

Harry smirked. "If this has to do with Victor Krum-"

"No, Harry, I just want to leave," Ron snapped just as Hannah came over with a huge smile on her face.

"I can't believe Victor Krum is here," she said excitedly. "I've never been a big fan of Quiddich, but I remember when he came in our fourth year. Hermione's quite lucky to know him, isn't she?" The look on Ron's face got worse and he walked off, muttering. Hannah watched him go and then turned to Harry. "Is everything okay, Harry?" she asked quietly and Harry shook his head, a smile on his face.

"Fine," he replied. "Ron's just feeling…"

"Unappreciated," Luna offered as she stared off at Merlin only knew what. Neville chuckled and Harry looked slightly exasperated.

"Thank you, Luna," he muttered before turning to Hannah. "Nothing to worry about."

"Hannah! Hannah, there you are!"

The two turned to see a couple of girls run up to them, smiles on their faces until they realized who their friend was with.

"Elisa. Rebecca," Hanna greeted, giving them each a quick hug. "I didn't know you would be in London."

"Yes well, mum decided to stay and Rebecca convinced her parents to stay as well," Elisa replied before turning to address Harry. "Harry Potter, I presume. Hannah talks about you a lot."

"Elisa!" Hannah hissed, appalled by her friend's bluntness. Harry's ears burned, but a smile remained as he shook the other girls' hands.

"Hi. Hannah's mentioned you."

"Neville, where are you going?" Luna asked curiously, distracting Harry from what was going on.

"Something's going on outside," Neville answered as he moved over to the display window to peer outside. "Oy, come look at this," he called to them. "What the…"

Luna walked over and looked out as well. "I've never seen anything like that before."

Harry went to the window and looked out, frowning when he saw a large amount of Aurors moving down the road, a couple breaking off from the group to go into each store.

"What do you suppose is going on?" Neville asked as two Aurors entered the Weasley's store and approached Remus and Tonks, who had also noticed what was going on outside. Fred and George joined the conversation and a startled look came to both their faces before Fred headed to the back rooms while George disappeared up the stairs. They spoke for a little bit before one of the Aurors stepped away and held his wand to this throat.

"_Attention everyone_," he said, his voice echoing loudly around the store. "_Attention, please, this is extremely important. Dementors have been spotted in Nocturn Alley and are reportedly coming this way, so I need everyone to quickly evacuate the premises. Please, this is not a drill. Dementors have been spotted in Nocturn alley and for your own safety, please evacuate the premises as quickly and orderly as possible! Fireplaces have been activated on the south end of Diagon Alley to take people to Ministry of Magic if they are unable to apparate. Please evacuate!_"

Despite some frightened faces, customers did not make a huge scene over leaving as they headed for the store's exit. Some were trying to console their children while others pulled out their wands and apparated on the spot. However, what changed that was what happened outside of the store. People were walking by calmly, following others in a mass exodus of Diagon Alley while Aurors monitored with wands at the ready. Further up the Alley, there was a commotion and soon several people were running past the storefront, pushing past those who chose to walk to the designated fireplaces.

Someone screamed, the street darkened and everything became very cold.

"DEMENTORS!" one Auror further up the street bellowed, breaking whatever calm had been there before. "DEMENTORS!"

Many of the patrons had already left the Weasley's store, but a few remained along with the Aurors, Harry and the others. As soon as those words were screamed, the Aurors magically sealed the doors and turned to the twins.

"Do you have any portkeys?" one demanded and Remus stepped forward.

"The portkeys were at the church. We have to get there," he told them urgently.

"Oh my God, there they are!" a woman in the front of the store shrieked as she grabbed her small child. "THERE THEY ARE!"

Everyone turned to see ten dementors swooping down into the Alley, heading straight for the store at full speed.

"EVERYONE GET TO THE BACK!" George roared, grabbing his brother as he led the way. "There's an exit there to an alley. We can get to the church from there!"

"Harry!" Hermione screamed as Victor tugged her along. "Harry, come on!"

Neville shoved Harry and Luna ahead of him as he backed away from the window quickly, eyes fixed on the deadly wraiths. "RUN!"

"Hannah, come on!" Harry yelled, grabbing her hand and pulling her out of her frightened stance as they sprinted towards the back of the store with twenty other people.

Remus was standing in the alleyway by the exit with Tonks and Fred. "You and George lead them to the church," he ordered. "Make sure they all get there!"

_BOOM!_

Everyone flinched and turned around to see plumes of smoke rise from another shop down the passage. The door burst open and two figures piled out, slamming into the opposite wall and pointing their wands at the building.

"_Expecto Petronum!_" they yelled in unison and bright lights shot into the store, followed by a strange shrieking noise.

"Dean!" Ginny screamed in surprise and both men turned to see the large gathering of Weasley patrons in the ally. Fred and George hardly noticed it as yelling and shattering of glass erupted from within their shop.

"Let's move!" George bellowed. "Now!"

Ron grabbed hold of his sister and yanked her in the direction of the church as they all started to run again. Screams could be heard all around them from the other sides of the buildings and a couple of children were crying as their mothers carried them through the alley. Fred and George weaved their way through the side streets, looking over their backs every once in a while to make sure everyone was keeping up. It took them a couple of minutes to finally reach the empty church and everyone gathered near the pulpit, including Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnegan.

All in all, aside from those who had come from the Weasleys, they had also picked up Hannah Abbot, her two friends, Victor Krum and two of his friends along with four terrified third year Ravenclaw boys and two families.

"Where are the portkeys?" a woman demanded frantically as she held her five-year-old close to her. "I thought there were portkeys!"

George and Fred exchanged glances. They knew that having all of these people here was a security risk, but they also knew that dementors would be descending upon them and they had no chance to make such a judgment call.

"I'll go get them," Fred said and George turned to the group.

"I need everyone to stay calm!" he called out, but it was too late. The church became dark and deathly cold, and ice crystals began to spread down the stonewalls along with the fear that began to infiltrate them.

"Oh my God, they're here," Hannah's friend Rebecca cried. "We're all going to die!"

"Everyone gather around!" Fred yelled. "Hurry!"

The glass around them shattered and everyone screamed, surging towards the twins.

"HURRY!"

* * *

The next morning found Draco sitting at the dinning table, wondering why he was still alive and why he had agreed to this in the first place. His mother, the most unpleasant woman, had invited him to the Malfoy Manor for breakfast after a few days of silence and Draco had come. Out of some morbid curiosity, he had come.

Draco had managed to remain calm for the most part. He had heard about what had happened in Diagon Alley and though his first question had been to ask about the casualties, his worry for Ginny's safety had been fleeting. He knew the attack to be some weak attempt from a loyal servant of Voldemort to hurt whoever had been present and quickly expelled it from his mind. He had to focus on what was presently happening.

He figured that if Pansy Parkinson had divulged his secret to anyone else, he would have known about it before he was killed in the most unfortunate of ways. In these winter days, he became increasingly aware of the disappearances of loose ends or those who got distracted.

Ginerva Weasley, in the simplest of terms, was a distraction.

It was an interesting game to sit at the table with his parents and exchange empty words. His mother had never been one for pleasantries and as the war had drawn on, her once demure demeanor began to slowly become darker, her skin paler and her hair greyer. His father had been the cause of that. His constant ventures with Voldemort had worn on Narcissa and despite Draco's growing disdain for his father's undignified behavior, Draco had felt some sympathy for his mother, who seemed sincerely worried about her husband. That sympathy was corrupted slightly by his mother's lack of worry for him.

"Draco, we need to talk," Narcissa murmured, attracting Draco's attention away from the hardly touched plate lying in front of him.

"Is that so?" he responded slowly. Whether or not his relationship with Weasley was known by his parents was yet to be seen, but he knew he was going to keep cordial until his father displayed his cards. His feelings for the redhead did not matter. He was in the presence of something worse than himself and therefore had to act accordingly. Ginerva Weasley would have to wait.

Lucius looked over Draco's face and smiled. "For the past couple of weeks, I have contemplated your fate, Draco," he whispered and Draco's eyes went to his mother, who was also watching him vigilantly. "You foolishly denied the Dark Mark and then you blatantly parade yourself around as if the Dark Lord did not want you dead and I tried to find a reason for this… _unusual_ behavior."

"Were you successful?"

The smile on his father's face revealed nothing and for a moment Draco felt as he had when he was a young boy, terrified of his father's intentions and his mother's silence.

"Yes… yes, I think we were," Lucius murmured as Narcissa motioned to the door.

Draco turned slightly to see Pansy Parkinson walk in with a smirk on her face and Draco's heart literally skipped a beat. Suddenly a conversation from the beginning of the year came to mind and he had a bad feeling about it.

"_Why the hell do you care about what happens to Weasley?"_

_Draco's fingers curled into fists but he tempered himself and turned his emotionless eyes to the boy. _

"_I don't," he whispered. "King Weasel and that Mudblood can take care of themselves but that young one is precious to all of those bloody Gryffindors." Leaning back in his chair, he looked out the window. "This year is important. I don't need you dolts causing trouble by messing with Gryffindor's little princess." He snorted and smirked. "Besides, as much as I detest the Weasleys, I think we can all agree that Weasley's arse is nice to look at."_

_To his relief, he received a collective laugh from the males in the room while Pansy's face became dark and incensed. However, she knew her place and as long as the others had no problem with Ginny Weasley, she would have to abide by the ruling set out by Draco. The little Gryffindor was off limits. At least as far as violence was concerned. By no means did the Malfoy say she could not torture the girl using other means. _

"_Fine," she growled. "But when this whole plan of yours to break down the defenses of every bloody House in Hogwarts is over, I am going to break that slag in half."_

_Draco smirked. _

"_That will certainly be a sight."_

Had he really been protecting the youngest Weasley since back then? Perhaps she was a bigger distraction than he originally thought.

Draco watched as Pansy sat down beside him and he so desperately wanted to wipe that look off of her face in the most violent way possible. At the same time, he found himself craving a shag.

_Interesting Draco_, a little voice observed snidely. _Very interesting_.

"Pansy brought something to your father's attention that we found very… interesting," Narcissa told him quietly. "Something that has been taken to the Dark Lord."

At this point Draco found himself in the difficult position of having a complete mental breakdown while at the same time managing to keep his facial and body expressions from showcasing the deterioration of calm and control that was happening at exponential speeds within himself. The smirk on Pansy's face was only appeared to be getting bigger, adding to the heaving sensation that had gripped his stomach and it took everything within him not to reach out, grab the knife and plunge it into her-

"I'm impressed, Draco," Lucius said and Draco could not stop his eyes from widening.

"Excuse me?" he managed to spit out as calmly as possible. Pansy finally looked at him and for some reason she looked proud.

"Oh, come now Draco," she cooed in a silky voice that made his skin crawl. "There's no reason to be modest." Draco watched the corner of her mouth twitch and he fought the temptation to hit her as she reached out and took his hand in hers, carefully easing it away from the knife close by. "I told your parents all about your plans to help the Dark Lord kill Harry Potter."

Lucius leaned forward in his chair with an excited glint in his eyes while Narcissa motioned for a house elf to pour champagne into their glasses.

"I must say, Draco," he said. "I am _very_ impressed."

* * *

Draco had always prided himself for being levelheaded and meticulous. Everything he did was calculated and validated through logical thought process. But he could no longer think logically. His heart was twisting agonizingly in his chest and every nerve in his body was on fire as he walked down the long corridor to his room.

The paintings on the wall watched him cautiously, whispering amongst themselves as he passed them by. He could feel their cold, unfeeling gazes on his back and he wanted to burn them all down. He wanted to burn the entire manor down so badly that it pained him. He wanted to kill every thing that breathed in the manor and leave it behind like a horrible nightmare. He wanted to escape. He wanted to forget what had happened down below. He wanted to return to the night he had spent with Ginerva Weasley. He wanted to return to the summer before he had arrived for his final year at Hogwarts.

But most of all, Draco Malfoy wanted to cry.

Closing the door behind him, Draco leaned against it and tilted his head back against the hard mahogany, squeezing his eyes tightly to prevent the tears that burned, threatening to spill out at a moments notice. He suppressed the shout of rage that boiled to the surface of his throat and slid to the floor, trembling so badly from a mixture of panic and adrenaline that he could barely hold onto his wand and it clattered to the ground.

Draco pressed his knuckles to his face briefly, swearing into the palms of his hands as he struggled miserably to gain control of himself. He reached out and grabbed his wand, shakily pointing it up to the doorknob and hastily mumbling a spell that sealed the door shut before he once again dropped his wand to the floor and staggered to his feet. He haphazardly made his way to the large bathroom and grabbed hold of the sink counter, gripping it so tightly that his knuckles became sheet white as sweat beads formed on his face.

"Shit," he muttered as his sweaty fingers slipped from the faucet control. He yanked the control towards him and cold water began to spew from the stainless steel faucet. He cupped his hands unsteadily under the icy flow, releasing a small gasp as the water began to pour out through his fingers. Draco splashed the water in his face a few times before he looked into the mirror, not recognizing whom he saw.

He had made a mistake. Draco had made a terrible mistake. For the first time in years he had allowed his emotions to get the best of him and he had made several errors. Now he was in trouble.

"SHIT!" he yelled, his voice resonating briefly through the marble bathroom. He reached out for a hand towel, but his hands were still quivering badly and he could barely hold the cloth before he chucked it away from him and slammed his fists down on the counter. "SHIT!"

Never in his life had Draco been so terrified. Throughout the entire ordeal, Draco truly believed Voldemort himself might show up and strike him down where he sat. He had managed to keep the colossal waves of fear from manifesting physically, but his efforts had finally caught up with him and now he felt sick. Mostly nauseous.

"_Pansy informed us of your plans to undermine the unity of the other Hogwarts Houses and how it was such a success that it actually led to the recent evacuation," Narcissa told Draco as he coolly sipped the champagne the house-elf had placed before him._

"_The problem with that is that Potter now has more security than ever," Lucius continued. "Meaning we need to find a way to get Hogwarts reopened."_

_Pansy ran a hand down Draco's arm. "That's where your plan comes into play, Draco," she whispered. "The Dark Lord has agreed to curb his activities, making it all but impossible for the Ministry to refuse reopening the school. The goal is to get Hogwarts reopened."_

_Lucius grinned. "I must say Draco," he said. "Using the Hogwarts Express is very ingenious."_

Draco felt a wave of nausea hit him and he stumbled to the toilet, throwing up the champagne and dinner. Wiping his mouth, he dropped heavily to the floor and leaned his back up against the cold wall. His breathing was labored as his mind still bombarded him with the spectrum of emotions he had denied himself from feeling only a few moments earlier.

_Pansy smiled as well and leaned forward in eagerness. "Yes, I thought it was quite brilliant myself," she extolled as she allowed her hand to drop to Draco's thigh, squeezing it slightly. "You see," she continued, ignoring the look Draco gave her. "There's a spot in the route where the train is unprotected. That's our window in."_

"_How long would we have?" Lucius asked. _

"_It's a twelve minute window starting from when we cross the last bridge heading in to Hogsmeade."_

_Lucius watched Draco carefully and then leaned in. "And how exactly do you expect to get Potter off of the train. The train itself may be unprotected, but Potter will have a guard."_

_Pansy sat up straight in her seat. "We'll lure him out using a Weasley."_

"_Which Weasley?" Narcissa asked._

_At this question, Pansy's gaze fell right on Draco, her eyes burning with all of the hatred and disgust one could afford without out right killing someone. "Ginerva Weasley."_

Draco closed his eyes, tears falling down his face as the fear that pumped through his veins finally reached his chest. He could not breathe, the grip on his chest was so tight and he released a moan as his body continued to quake from terror.

He had not felt this way since he was a boy. He had not allowed it to happen, but now, he had no choice in the matter. His actions since the summer had stacked his emotions up against him and now he was reaping the consequences of his repression.

"_How?"_ _Narcissa demanded quickly, leaning forward as well and Pansy smirked._

"_Well, that's the fun part, isn't it Draco?"_ _she whispered._

A knock at the door brought Draco out of his revere and he quickly got to his feet. He bolted towards the sink, grabbed a towel and wiped the sweat from his face, all the while moving through to his closet, where he grabbed another black shirt. He changed swiftly, tossed the sweaty shirt into the closet, shut it and moved decisively towards the door, all the while checking his posture, internal balance and the look on his face. By the time he scooped up his wand and was unlocking the door, he had composed himself and Pansy was greeted by cold indifference.

_She's killed you, Draco,_ his addled mind hissed. _You let your guard down and now you're trapped. And she's responsible. She's destroyed you._

Ignoring the voice in his head, Draco moved to the side and let Pansy in.

"Can I help you?" he asked expressionlessly and she turned to him, her eyes dark and treacherous, with a hint of lust in them.

"Let's cut this bullshit, Draco," she hissed. "Your parents can't listen anymore."

Draco moved so quickly that Pansy barely had time to think before he had her pinned against the wall, his hand around her throat as she suddenly found herself struggling to breathe. His eyes were blazing with a sort of deranged wrath that temporarily petrified Pansy as his face came dangerously close to hers.

"Who the fuck do you think you are?" he growled hatefully. "WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE MESSING WITH?

To his horror, the scared look on Pansy's face soon morphed into that of contempt as she managed to pull a picture out of her pocket and hold it up for Draco to see.

_After another moment, they collapsed onto the bed, exhausted and completely in love with each other._

_"Bloody hell," Draco growled into her skin as her body still shuddered beneath his. She murmured his name and told him she loved him and he kissed her face, loving her in the only way he could. _

_"Draco," she murmured breathlessly, running a hand through his damp hair and inviting him to pull away a little. Their eyes locked and she released a soft sob, leaning up and kissing him as passionately as possible_.

Knowing she had his attention, Pansy carefully pried his fingers from her throat, grabbed his wand away from him and stepped away from the wall, a triumphant smile on her face.

"I can see you're thinking over your next remark, but I'll save you the trouble," she said lightly as she tucked his wand into her back pocket. "So far, the only people who have seen this are you, myself and Weasley. And it will stay that way on one condition."

"What condition?" Draco managed without betraying how much this picture affected him. His eyes were slowly darkening and he struggled not to show any emotion on his face, but it was becoming harder with the growing smirk on Pansy's face and the knowing look in her eyes.

"You do exactly as I tell you to," she murmured. "If you do that, your parents will never find out, you'll come out a hero, and the Dark Lord will wipe away every transgression."

It was obvious that there was more to Pansy's plan than she was divulging to him or his parents. He knew she was biding her time until Weasley's slow, painful death and he was now a marionette in her little song and dance for his ignorant, eager parents.

"I know you, Draco," Pansy continued, watching him as he turned to face her. "I gave you everything. This should have ended differently."

"Preferably with you dead," Draco replied and Pansy's eyes became narrow slits.

"I know you're in a killing mood right now, Draco," she said in a barely controlled whisper. "But I'm going to inform you of something that may just change your mind about that."

"What's that?"

Pansy sat down on his bed, crossing her legs sensually as she continued to glower at him. "Your plan to undermine the houses worked a little too well," she informed him. "Everyone was right. Hogwarts wasn't as safe as they said it would be… and after what happened today, neither will the Burrow."

Draco's eyes narrowed as he inwardly cursed himself for not seeing it earlier. "I can still kill you," he growled and Pansy laughed, sending chills down his back as she got up and walked right up to him.

"If you kill me now, that little redheaded slag will die," she murmured with such an excitement that Draco felt like throwing up again. "Which is a shame, because I was really looking forward to killing her myself."

They stared at each other for a few seconds, sizing each other up and the threats that had been issued. Draco could see the truth in Pansy's eyes and it nearly destroyed him.

"What do you want from me?" he asked evenly and she smiled, returning to the bed.

"First… I want you to come sit here," she whispered, patting the spot beside her. "Now."

Draco's eyes moved back down to the photo in her hand, the disgust at having been captured in such a vulnerable position filling his every being. He remembered every moment about that night yet he could no longer conjure up the emotions that had gone with them. Instead they were replaced with rage. Rage at having been caught. Rage at the idea of never returning to the time before.

Pansy had covered her bases, he knew she had, and now he was trapped. If he did not do as she said, she would expose him and everyone he knew would die.

He moved slowly towards her and sat down carefully, making sure not to touch her as he stared at the wall. Pansy leaned into him, her lips brushing against his ear as she spoke.

"You should have left her alone, Draco," she whispered. Her hand smoothed over his thigh, grazing his crotch as her voice dropped a little. "I gave you everything."

Draco closed his eyes, struggling desperately with the urge to just kill her. He wanted so badly to see her go through unimaginable pain, yet all he could do was take a deep breath and look at her again. "What do you want from me, Pansy?" he asked quietly and a smile came to her face.

"You'll find out soon enough," she murmured, as she ran a hand down the side of his face before she leaned in and pressed her lips to his. "You'll find out soon enough."

When her lips started to move against his, his hand snaked up her body and his fingers curled around her throat, squeezing tightly as he pushed her back onto the bed. Pansy struggled to breathe, but the smile on her face somehow still remained.

"Do it, Draco," she hissed. "Do it, and that bitch won't make it past tonight."

Their eyes clashed fiercely as his grip tightened and for a moment, Pansy feared he might just go through with it, Weasley be damned. But then she saw it. A glint of primal fear that flashed across his eyes and she knew she had him.

"You will regret this, Pansy," Draco growled as he glared down at her. "You will regret this."

Pansy's eyes moved up and down Draco's body lustfully and she shifted carefully beneath him. "I highly doubt that," she replied as she wrapped her legs around his waist and flipped him so that she was on top. She pulled his hand away from her throat and moved her fingers to the hem of his shirt, her wild eyes daring him to stop her. "But I will make you regret her."

Pansy's lips descended on his violently and for the first time he felt revulsion at the touch as he lay beneath her. Without a moment's hesitation, he slipped his hand beneath her skirt and smoothed his palm over her bare thigh, lulling her into a false sense of sensuality and confidence. She grinned into his lips at the welcome possessiveness of his touch right before his grip on her became vice-like and excruciating. Pansy released a painful gasp right before he shoved her off of him and sat up in the bed as she grabbed her thigh, holding it ruefully.

"What the hell-"

"Shut up," Draco snarled so dangerously that she momentarily forgot her upper hand. She watched as he walked over to the window, holding both sides as he stared out into the courtyard below, his eyes dark and unapproachable. Something in him had just died and he felt cold. He felt sick and at the moment he was seriously contemplating throwing himself through the glass.

"I did this for us, Draco," Pansy whispered softly and with a sincerity that made his skin crawl and his stomach churn. "I did this for you… to free you from her…" She smiled. "You'll thank me for this eventually."

Draco closed his eyes and his fingers curled up into tight fists. She had violated everything and now he was stuck, passionately wanting her dead.

"I highly doubt that," he muttered and she turned on her side, stretching her body out on his silk sheets. Her eyes moved over his face quickly and then she smirked.

"Ahhh… I see," she murmured. "What did she do? Kiss you in a special spot? Was she quiet the entire time?"

He hated her so much.

_Soon their lovemaking became aggressive and unrelenting, sending Ginny over the edge of whatever cliff she had been clinging to. His thrusts became faster still and his lips latched onto her shoulder while they both began to reach a mind-numbing climax. Ginny began rambling rousing words into his ear as the pressure within her reached a breaking point and her legs began to weaken. Screaming his name, her back arched and she shuddered, clawing at his back as he drove into her passionately a few more times_.

"No… she was beautiful…" Draco turned around to look at her, managing to keep the disgust from showing on his face. "How does this end, Pansy?"

The smile on her face never faltered, but her eyes became vacant and another chill ran down Draco's spine. "It ends when I say so." She sat up in bed, crossing her legs seductively as she stared at him. "It ends when she's dead."

Draco watched Pansy for several moments. Ever since he met Pansy Parkinson, she had always reminded him of those muggle dolls he had seen occasionally when he visited London.

Cold. Fake. Harmless.

He had approached her in such a fashion, ignoring the violence and ambition that simmered beneath her porcelain skin and choosing instead to feed the empty sexual aggression that exposed itself to him early on. He had ignored her brutal outbursts and in the past few months, he had been so consumed in his own fantasy that he failed to see what the years of coaxing and restrictions had turned her into. He had neglected her and underestimated her and now she had become the very monster his mother had feared in her sister Bellatrix.

Something had snapped within her and he could see it clearly now. She hid it better than his aunt, but it was still there and he needed to be careful. If he was not, she would destroy him.

_Reaching up, he took her hand, allowing their fingers to lace together and his chest constricted when he saw for the first time in a while, a small smile on her face. She fell asleep with that smile and he reluctantly followed suit, unable to deny the colossal swell of pure happiness that surged through him as he held her_.

Draco turned back to the window and closed his eyes.

"She was beautiful…"

"Draco." The voice came from behind him and when he turned around, Pansy had her wand pointed straight at him. The look on her face was one of pure fury as her chest moved up and down in barely controlled rage. "I was beautiful," she snarled. "I was beautiful!" She hissed something under her breath and a green jet shot out of her wand and struck Draco straight in the chest. He was slammed against the wall and he grabbed his head, releasing a scream as pain infiltrated his entire being. He could feel her drilling into his mind, searching for control.

"Oh Draco… you should have loved me," she whispered into his ear as she continued to burrow into his mind.

"GET OUT!"

There was an explosion and Pansy screamed in pain when she hit the wall, but she quickly got to her feet and ran to the hole in the wall, looking out into the wintry courtyard below.

"DRACO!" she shrieked. "I'M GOING TO KILL HER!" She watched his dark form reach the woods and instantly disappear. She released another cry of rage and slammed her hand against the wall. "DRACO!"

**A/N: Okay, so… I know I've been away for a very long time, but it's kind of hard to get stuff done when your computer crashed and a lot of my work was lost. I've been trying to catch up this summer and have finally gotten back to here. I tried to make this first chapter as long as possible.**

**Jess Rap: **Thanks for reading!

**tamara72:** Sorry for the delay.

**Dmlover:** I haven't given up on it. I lost a lot of the stuff I had been working on and only recently I have had the time to address these stories. I'm glad you like it and I'll try to get the next chapter up as soon as possible.

**Jene:** Well, things are going to get much more interesting.

**NoReins94:** Thanks! I hope your year has been well. Sorry I didn't get this chapter to you, but I was a little anxious about getting a chapter out and I didn't know how long it would take for you to get back to me. I'll try to be on my game a little more now that I've gotten back into the story. It's been a while!

**Duchess Lovely:** Well, I'm glad you stumbled on it. The relationship between Draco and Ginny is going to get interesting in the upcoming chapters.

**The Darkest wizard:** Draco is different in this story. I think he feels a lot more! :) As for killing (specifically Pansy), you'll just have to wait and see. He certainly isn't as flippant in who he kills, but Pansy is a little bit more dangerous in this one and he's beginning to realize that.

**Ezriella: **That's the one thing I actually regretted from _Drift_. The Ginny in that one was a bit more passive in what was happening to her life. This Ginny is much more involved.

**Miss-Talkative:** I don't know which Draco I like more, but I honestly like this Ginny more than I do the _Drift_ Ginny. Ron's fun. I always love writing scenes with Ron in it. And no, you're not being cheeky. I want to update _Life After Death_ as quickly as possible, but it's sort of a hard story. I lost my work on the story, so I've been going through the chapters online, so that's making progress slow. I'm working on this for now, but I'll get back to it as soon as possible.

**Chapter Tease: (You guys most definitely deserve one!)**

"_Why are you here?"_

"_I have my reasons."_

"_That's not an answer."_

"_It's the only answer you're going to get."_

_Draco slammed his fists down on the little glass table, shattering it. _

"_THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH!"_


End file.
